STAR TREK: The Voyage Home
by RobertCanary
Summary: In the Delta-Quadrant, Uhura is trapped inside the memories of a child. Meanwhile in the Alpha-Quadrant, the Romulans come home to; Earth!
1. Fly Over

**Star Trek;  
Phase One**

**(this story is a more "near to our time" retelling of Star Trek TOS.)**

**By Robert Canary**

**FLY OVER**

-

EARTH: 2050

Senator Mitch Williams was a married man, a rich white married man, as were most Senators who served in the United States Senate. He also had a mistress on the side, and like most senators, that was the norm too. He also had several homes that he could hide his mistress in, away from the paparazzi that hounded him. His wife knew he played around, but she didn't care. They were both in their late 40s, and Mitch weighed nearly 250 pounds, having let himself go when he got elected to his first term twelve years earlier.

Mitch Williams was relaxed, as he was sprawled out on the comfortable lounge chair on the secluded patio of his house that over looked the Miami Beach below. His mistress, Olivia Cole, an African American female, who was absolutely stunning, was topless as she applied lotion to Mitch's ample man breasts.

Olivia looked down on the whale that was beneath her hands. That is what Mitch reminded her of, a fat whale that had washed ashore. She hated the fact that she was sleeping with a man who was, at the core, a bigot. He voted no for almost every program that would benefit the poor and others who needed help. The country had dug itself out of the depression of the early part of the century, but some, like Mitch Williams, only wanted to hold on to power. Sexually, the man was lost. He had no sensual ability. He was nothing, really, but a fat pig.

But, he paid her well. He gave her a twenty-thousand dollar a month allowance, which she used to spoil her two kids with, and save for their education. She knew enough to not tell anyone that she was a Senator's mistress. No one knew: well, except for one person. Her big 'brother': James T. Kirk.

Olivia Cole and James T. Kirk had met in grade school, when they both lived in Iowa. They were never involved romantically, never at all, since meeting in grade school. Since she had no older brothers, and Kirk lived nearby, on his family farm he had been directed by his parents to watch out for Olivia, which he did. When they grew older, and went on to high school, Olivia had tried to set James up with her friend from school, a recent immigrant to America, from Africa. Her name was Nyota Uhura. But James valued Olivia's friendship too much to allow himself to become involved with Uhura, Olivia's best friend. But that didn't stop the young Kirk from romancing other girls, which he did quite often.

As Olivia rubbed the lotion deep into the fat Mitch William's arms, she smiled at him.

"After we're done here," Mitch said, "you know what I want you to do."

Olivia knew what he meant. He wanted her to satisfy him sexually. But, as he closed his eyes, she looked up at the clock that adorned the nearby patio wall. It was almost time for the "show", she reminded herself.

Earlier in the day the United States Senate voted no on the proposal to contribute more money to the United Space Agency. This had the effect of, possibly, ditching the Mars Mission, which James T. Kirk had been tapped to Command. When the vote came down, and the Mission had lost by one vote, Kirk wanted to make a statement to Mitch Williams, who had cast the deciding vote. Kirk knew of only one way.

Olivia scanned the distant horizon, where the ocean met the sky. And then she saw it, a tiny black dot, far in the distance, had dropped from the sky and was getting larger and larger as came closer and closer to the shore. She reached into her bra and took out the two tiny ear plugs that she had brought for the "show". She continued to rub the Senator's legs with oil as she applied the ear plugs, one at a time.

She seductively began to trace her fingers higher up on Mitch William's massive legs. She could tell that the movement of her fingernails was having its desired effect on the Senator. And then she closed her eyes…and then….she popped the umbrella that came with the lounge chair and then…..

ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The following sonic boom caused every window in the house to smash apart. The house was primarily made out of glass, and in mere two seconds later glass showered down upon Olivia and Mitch. The sonic-boom also scared the daylights out of the senator, causing him to lurch out of his chair, and fall to the ground, squealing like a pig.

-

One hour later. Captain James T Kirk reported to Colonel Pike's office, as ordered, having just landed his F-26 Saber jet moments before. Kirk was escorted into the office by the duty officer, who left and shut the door.

Pike had a large cigar in his mouth, and his face was red with anger.

"WHAT KIND OF GOD DAMN STUNT WAS THAT!?" Pike screamed in anger.

Kirk shook his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about, sir."

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!" Pike yelled. "YOU FLEW OVER THE SENATORS HOUSE AND NEARLY KILLED THAT FAT ASS WITH A HEART ATTACK!"

Kirk held out his hands, palms up. "It was instrument failure," Kirk pleaded.

"BULL #$^%!" Pike followed up.

-

Two hours later, his ears ringing with the Colonel's obscenities, and with a two week suspension thrown in, Kirk was changing in the locker room, all alone, when he heard light footsteps from behind. He turned around to find the Colonel's very precocious daughter, Tina, standing before him, totally nude.

"How did you get in here?" Kirk, who was nude as well, asked.

"Who cares," she said with a sexy smile. "I've always wanted to do it in a bathroom stall."

"If your father were to come in, and find us, I'd be kicked out of the service," Kirk warned her as she came closer and they embraced each other, "or even worse!"

"Ain't I worth it?" Tina asked, with a sly look on her face.

He grinned, lifted her by the waist, and headed to one of the stalls to make her fantasy come true. As the two young lovers made love in the stall, unknown to them both, the security camera was catching the entire event, and recording it.

Continued…


	2. Friends and First

**Star Trek:  
Phase One**

**Friends…at First**

The morning after the flyover, Senator Mitch Williams used a rare parliamentary rule to demand a re-vote of Mars Mission funding package. The re-vote happened, and this time, Williams voted yes. Partly due to being intimidated by the flyover, but really due to the fact that his mistress, Olivia Cole, threatened to reveal their relationship. And even in the mid- 21st century, a white-southerner Senator, having an affair with a woman of African descent, was scandalous enough to ruin the Senator's political career, and cost him millions in a divorce settlement. So, rather than face that possibility, he helped the funding measure pass.

-

**SEVEN MONTHS LATER  
WORLD SPACE AGENCY TRAINING CENTER  
The 118-story high training center in Perranporth England.**

Gary Mitchell stepped out of the G-force simulator, his face flushed with a hue of green. He was in the final training preps for the mission to Mars, which was still three months away. The drill instructor was not impressed with Mitchell's training numbers.

The trainer was named Mack Wilson, and he was a retired Marine who came from the south side of Philly. Gary Mitchell came from the north side of Philly, so it was no shock that the two naturally did not get along; at all. The Space Agency usually hired men, and women, who had retired from active duty, especially Senior Enlisted retirees, such as Mack Wilson, who was a retired Master Chief. It was a well-known fact, through-out time, that Senior Enlisted troops were not easily intimidated by officers.

"You're a pathetic officer," Mack Wilson said. He was a tall and muscular African-American, and was chomping on a cigar as he spoke. It was against the Space Agency's regulations to smoke cigars anywhere on the premises, but no ever seemed to have enough courage to remind Mack Wilson. "How the hell you made it this far is a God Damn shame!"

Gary Mitchell stood toe to toe with Mack Wilson. The retired Master-Chief had been riding Mitchell's ass for the entire two month training program. In fact, he rode all of the Mars Mission crew members pretty hard; well, all except for Jim Kirk. Wilson and Kirk got along pretty well due to their shared love of old model Corvettes AND pretty women, old and young alike.

"You need to get your numbers up, slacker, or I ain't gonna sign off on your Physical Fitness sheet!" Wilson barked.

"Well, I only have one thing to say, you mean son-of-a bitch," Mitchell responded.

"And what is that?!" Wilson responded with.

"Change your clothes," Mitchell said with a wry tone in his voice.

"And why would I want to change my clothes?!" Wilson demanded.

Mitchell stared directly back at Wilson, and stood even closer. He hated the man. And, at this point, Gary Mitchell didn't care what would happen. So without further ado, Gary Mitchell, who had eaten a Grand-Slam Breakfast at the local Denny's before coming to the training premise earlier in the morning, opened up his mouth and threw-up all over Mack Wilson's well-polished boots and lower slacks.

"Sorry about that," Gary Mitchell said as he stared at the much startled, and much bigger man, with vomit dripping from his legs.

-

Three hours later, James T Kirk entered the infirmary of the training complex. He flirted with the nurse on duty, a very attractive lady in her early 50s, and then he followed her directions. He entered a med-room and found Gary Mitchell, in bed, with a massive bandage/bridge on his nose.

Jim Kirk grinned. "There you go again," Kirk said with humor in his voice, "sticking your nose up someone else's ass."

"Shut-up," Mitchell replied. "Did you bring it?"

Kirk nodded and handed Mitchell a data-chip. It was the latest issue of Penthouse, downloaded in total Hi-def. Gary slipped the chip into the remote control, then turned on the monitor and started to look at the pictures.

"You need to get along better with people," Jim said as he sat in the chair next to the bed. "Even McCoy thinks you're an asshole, and you only just met him two weeks ago."

"You know why I'm an asshole," Mitchell said, not taking his eyes off of the images on the screen.

"Because I beat you out for command, and you're just the XO on this mission to Mars," Kirk said, following Mitchell's train of thought.

Mitchell turned to face Kirk. "Yeah, that's why. You are my best friend, Jim, but we both know that I'm command material. You're just a pocket-jockey. The only reason you got command was because you saved Colonel Pike from that fire. Knowing you, I bet you started it yourself."

Kirk nodded his head. "Your problem, Gary, is that you scare them."

Mitchell shook his head. "How did I know I would score so high on those Psych-tests? I got lucky."

"Well," Kirk said, "get rested up. I thought it would be cool if we all got together for dinner tonight. McCoy is going to be there, and so is Nyota. And, if I heard it correctly at the briefing we just had, our Russian Navigator, Chekov, will arrive later today."

"Great," Mitchell said with a sardonic tone to his voice. "Some drunken old Russian fart. He probably thinks everything of importance was invented by, or discovered by, or written by Russians. Well," Mitchell said, "at least I will know who to go to if I need some Vodka."

"See? There you go again. You just reverted to standard bigotry when describing Chekov," Kirk said as he opened the door to leave.

"Well," Mitchell said, "you'll see Jim; I'm always right about these things. He probably even has a Chessboard, ready to play us at all hours of the day!"

Kirk stepped out of the room, but then poked his head back in.

"Did I neglect to tell you that Chekov's first name is Nadya?" Kirk said with a wink.

"Oh my God," Gary said, finally looking away from the nude photos on the screen, and at Kirk. "That is SUCH a sexy name."

He looked at his own reflection in the mirror, and the very ugly looking bandage/bridge. "Get that nurse in here, Jim," Gary demanded. "Tell her to get this thing off. I don't want to look…" Gary stopped talking when he realized that Kirk was gone.

And he had a pretty good idea what Kirk had on his mind, because Mitchell did to. "I hate you Jim Kirk!" Gary said under his breath in mock anger.

Continued…


	3. The Get Together

**Star Trek:  
Phase One  
The Get Together**

**Parranporth…near Cornwall England**

Loud music and loud conversations were the norm at Nesmond's Pub. The Pub had been run by the same family for nearly fifty years. It served all kinds of local favorites, but it also served food from all over the world as well, being that it was so close to the World Space Agency's training facility, just ten miles always from Perranporth.

It not only was a pub, but it also doubled as sports-bar, with several HDTVs arrayed around the various tables for easy viewing. There was a faint vale of smoke drifting through the air, being that smoking was STILL legal at the establishment.

A large cheer came from a loud group at one of the tables, as they were watching a rugby match being televised from Sydney, Australia. Then, seconds later, another equally loud cheer came from another table that was watching a soccer match in Italy. To say it was loud, inside of Palin's, would be limiting. It was extremely loud!

James T. Kirk, with a mug of beer in each hand, weaved his way through the very crowded pub. He said hello to some of those he knew, due to the fact that most of the customers were coming from the training center. With the signing of the Armed Forces treaty of 2041, all active military from those countries that were still in the UN, served in a united military.

Some nations had chosen not to join the new UN. Either for philosophical reasons, or due to their being rogue nations, they had just chosen another way. Slowly, but surely, the world was beginning to see a future where all nations would one day be unified under one flag, but with their own unique attributes. That day was still decades away though. But it would happen.

Several women also recognized Kirk as well, they having once been romantically linked to him. Kirk carried himself with a calm confidence that came from most people realizing that he, James T. Kirk, was the best among them, in terms of being able to get those around him to rise to higher level. He had a way of talking that inspired confidence, and he had an innocent boy charm. And, the women agreed, he was just so hot looking, too!

Finally, and with not much beer spilt, he arrived at his table of new friends. He sipped from one mug, as he handed the other to his good friend Gary Mitchell, who sat at the table with the others. And who were the others?

There was Leonard McCoy. He was the oldest among them, and he was a good-ole-southern boy who was not only adept with the modern advances in medicine, but versed in good old country ways of healing wounds. Most of them had been passed down to him by a kindly old African-American woman named Gretchen Bennett. Leonard's own father and mother had died in an automobil accident when Leonard was a child.

Gretchen Bennett had raised Leonard from the time he was five years old, and through her, came McCoy's southern-roots to the storied past of that part of old-America.

Sitting next to Leonard McCoy was Nyota Uhura. She was the best friend of Olivia Cole, Jim Kirk's lifelong friend/buddy. And though Olivia had tried to 'hook-up' James and Nyota, James put a quick stop to it. James did not want any relationship with Nyota to affect his friendship with Olivia. Nyota had recently come to America from the Sudan Valley, and could speak several languages. She was, no doubt, the smartest among the small Enterprise crew.

Next to Nyota sat Montgomery Scott. Kirk shook his head with humor as he watched Scotty, the nickname Montgomery favored over his official name, chewed on a rack of ribs that were nearly the size of Nyota's entire body. Scotty hailed from Edinburgh. He claimed that his bloodline went all the way back to Robert Bruce. Though, Kirk thought to himself, he had known three Scottish men in his life, and all three claimed to be descended from Robert Bruce. Oh well, Kirk thought to himself, maybe Robert Bruce was some lady "killer" in his day and sired many children. Scotty was not without his rough edges, though. This came from the fact that the Enterprise was being built by, mainly, Scottish engineers, many of whom were close friends or family relations to Scotty. Even though the ship would be under Kirk's command, somehow Jim Kirk knew that the Enterprise would always belong to Scotty.

Kirk nodded to Gary Mitchell, who sat next to Scotty to one side, and to Nadya Chekov, the ship's Russian navigator, on the other. She was, no doubt, one of the most beautiful women Kirk had ever seen in his life. Her Russian features, rich angular face, and natural beauty, would cause any man's heart to skip a beat or two. Though there were no regulations against mingling between the crew members, Kirk would never let himself do it. Nadya would be totally off limits to him, as would be all women under Kirk's command. But she was not off limits to Gary. Kirk could see that the two were hitting it off quite well. Though, to be more honest, Gary was doing most of the 'hitting' while she was doing most of the 'dodging." She spoke very little, and was obviously shy. Kirk could only imagine how much Gary Mitchell, who was a walking sack of male hormones, would corrupt the young lady, as time went by.

Another large cheer came from another table. Kirk was about to sit down when the cheer came, and he looked over to the screen and saw why. The group, very loud group, at the other table were watching an American style "Football" game. The San Diego Chargers had just scored a touchdown against the London Churchills, and were now winning the game, 24-17.

With everyone situated, Kirk thought, it was time to get to know this new crew of his. Unfortunately the helmsman, Sulu, had missed his connecting flight in Calcutta India, and would not arrive until the next day. So, for now, this would have to do. He raised his mug of beer to make a toast. The only two that didn't raise their mugs were Gary and Nadya Chekov. Kirk whistled to his good friend, and then Gary reluctantly raised his mug, obviously annoyed at having to break his conversation with the very quiet, and demure, Chekov.

"To the Enterprise!" Kirk said.

And then, finally, his table, Kirk's table, cheered as loud as the tables that were watching the various sporting events.

Continued…


	4. Threads

**Star Trek  
Phase One  
Threads**

A dark room was illuminated with only the light of rows and rows of blinking computer panels, and control panels. The control panels were set atop over 60 cylinder shaped objects, each containing a human inhabitant in deep sleep. They were all illegally created genetically enhance humans.

In the early 2020s, scientists from all the major superpowers had experimented with mixing the DNA of, at first, animals. And then, against all international laws, these secret experiments began to combine the DNA of humans with animals. Some skirted the laws by combining, and enhancing, human attributes. But either way, by the time the 2030 came around, a new, enforceable international law was passed prohibiting all such tests and experiments.

Rumors abounded that nearly 60 embryos that had been created in those illegal days had vanished, without trace. The rumors faded over time, and by the 2050s the rumors were part of the past. But the rumors were true. The embryos had indeed survived, and were kept hidden, by a man who had designs to take over the world. His name was John Gill. He believed that Earth would only survive unless one man, or woman, ruled it. Gill's ideal form of a government would one not be unlike that of Hitler's Germany. But instead of a mad man running it, as Hitler was, a rational man like Gill would. To him it was a most logical conclusion.

He had served for three terms in the United States Senate. He had traveled the world many times in those years, and that is when he began to see the truth of his vision. And, so, in 2031 when the new anti-DNA laws were passed, Gill used his massive wealth to obtain the last 60 embryos in an ultra-secretive transaction. Only two others knew who had acquired them, and those two died mysterious death days after the transaction was final, his wife being one of them.

John Gill had doubts that the new UN NATIONS charter would ever take hold. With several key nations holding out, it was his opinion that a one world government would not come from the new deal. He also believed that the new United Space Agency, and it's military wing, the United Space Service, were just ways to hide an attempt to some day take by force what the United Nations could not take with signatures on paper. Gill saw the UN as a future thread to self- determination.

Gill sat in his office which was situated above the incubation chamber which contained the 60 embryo survivors; that were now adults waiting to be awakened. Their minds were so enhance that with-in a span of three months, the special one that was chosen for the first mission, infiltrating the USS ENTERPRISE, would be a genius with a memory of a life never lived. All Gill needed to know was the nationality of the person for whom the one chosen would replace.

There was a knock on his office door, and then the door opened. A man walked in holding a brief case. His name was Norman Weyoun.

"I trust," John Gill said, "that you have brought me a name."

Weyoun nodded. "It wasn't easy, Mister Gill," Weyoun said. "The names of those who are going on the first mission to Mars are ultra- top secret. I had to apply more money to the situation."

"I will compensate you, by a factor of ten, the amount of money it cost you. That was our deal," Gill said.

"Yes, it was," Weyoun said. "I trust you will have already transferred the amount to my account in the Caymans by the time I leave."

Gill nodded. "I will indeed."

Weyoun walked over to the desk where Gill sat and placed the brief case on it. He opened it and inside was forged papers that would be needed for Gill's chosen one to infiltrate the Mars mission.

Gill took out the file the contained the name that would have to be used. Such a person had really existed, but part of Weyoun's contract also included his 'getting rid' of the real person behind the name, and to provide current, up to date, photographs for face reconstruction, which would be completed within one week, on the chosen enhanced human.

"Khan Noonien Singh," Gill said. "What a noble sounding name."

"Do you have an Indian, Sihk Indian, in your brood?" Weyound asked.

"I do indeed," Gill said. "After his face is altered, a face that he actually has never seen, he will do just perfectly. For all he will ever know, he will actually be this Khan Noonien Singh."

Weyoun nodded, then left the office. Gill turned his chair back the other way, and looked down upon the rows of enhanced humans. He pressed a button on his main panel, and one of the sleeping chambers slowly became lighted.

"Hello, my son," Gill said with a smile. "I will name you…Khan Noonien Singh."


	5. Duel

**Star Trek  
Phase One  
Duel**

* * *

Something special was happening inside the United Space Service training center, located in England, near the town of Perranporth. At first it was just a casual fencing duel between two of the Enterprise's new crew members, but it had become so much more.

Scotty had been raised by his grandfather. And, as it would happen to be, Scotty's family line could trace themselves, according to Scotty, all the back to the legendary Knights of the Roundtable. Though Scotty was from Scotland, and for hundreds of years the English had been their dreaded enemy, apparently one of his ancestors was also been English. Thus, the Scotts took their fencing VERY seriously.

But so did Hikaru Sulu. He was born from a proud family as well. His father descended from one of the finer Japanese Dynasties, and his mother was one of the most elegant beautiful Filipino women to come from that great country. The Katana Sulu was using had been passed down through his family line for nearly seven-hundred years.

The match had started innocently enough, but it was quite clear that both of them were taking it rather serious. A small crowd watched them go at it in the main Gym in the training center. But with the clashing styles on display, Mack Wilson, the head trainer stopped all the other events and made everyone one watch the titanic struggle. And soon a crowd of nearly two hundred was watching the two go at it.

Sulu had the obvious physical advantage, his light and agile body giving him a plus there. But Scotty had guile. And when Sulu tried to take control of the floor, Scotty would take a three or four steps and regain, or at least, put the floor advantage back to neutral.

James Kirk and Gary Mitchell watched from the middle of the cheering throng. Kirk looked over at Gary, who had his eye on Nadya Chekov, who was standing with Nyota Uhura, cheering the two Fencers on.

"Great match, isn't it?" Kirk said to Mitchell.

"Oh yeah," Gary said with a wry tone on his voice. "Just what I always wanted in my life. To be stuck in a sweaty gym watching two knuckle draggers sword fight, when there are much more interesting things I could do with my time." Gary didn't take his eyes off of Nadya even once.

"How's it going with you two?" Jim asked, already knowing the answer.

Gary shook his head. "That girl is about as cold as an iceberg in the Bering Strait. But enough about me," Gary said, and then he looked to Kirk. "What about you and Carol, that girl I set you up with from the Science department?" Gary asked.

Kirk didn't reply.

"Oh no," Gary said, his eyes bulging as he did, "you dirty dog! What is it with you anyway?"

James shook his head. "I didn't say anything happened, and you don't need to be starting rumors. Just keep your nose to yourself," Kirk said.

"Well," Gary said, "I like Carol. She's got some spunk, and you know what they say about blond women in bed."

Kirk shook his head. "No, I don't and I don't want to know."

Suddenly the crowd roared as, at last, one of the two duelers had won. And, surprisingly enough, it was Montgomery Scott. The crowd applauded as Scotty helped his Japanese opponent up off the hard surface of the floor.

Sulu shook his head. "I've never seen that step, it allowed you to get in and cut the angle off."

Scotty nodded his head. "I've never used it until now. My grandfather taught me it when I was nine years old."

"Well," Sulu said as the crowd began to disperse, "I will remember that move the next time we do this."

"The next time?" Scotty replied with a chuckle.

Sulu shot him a look of mock anger. "We have to do this again; our fans will demand nothing less."

Kirk and Mitchell walked up to the two of them.

"Captain," Scotty said to Kirk, "Did you see the match?"

"We didn't have a choice," Gary answered for Kirk. "Jim and I were playing a very physical match or H.O.R.S.E over there," Gary said as he pointed at a lone basketball net set a part in a darkened the corner of the gym, "and then that jackass Wilson made us come watch."

"I thought it was amazing," Kirk said as he shook Scotty's hand, and then Sulu's.

Kirk admired the Katana that Sulu had put back into a sheath on the side of his leg.

"Can I see that?" Kirk asked.

Sulu handed Kirk the 700 year old Katana.

"This is a very fine Katana," Kirk said. "I have one, from the time of Kamakura. But your Katana is some what older."

Gary shook his head. "This is the last thing I need to listen to. Two men comparing the size and beauty of their," Gary paused for effect, "swords."

And with that Gary headed away from the others, and towards a group of women, including Nyota and Nadya, who were preparing to play some volleyball.

Kirk, Scotty and Sulu conversed about fencing awhile longer, and then they headed out of the Gym to get some food to eat.

* * *

Hours later Kirk found himself entering the Center's medical center, again. And, as before, it was to see Gary Mitchell. In fact, Gary was in the same room as he had been in after Mack Wilson had broken his nose.

Kirk came into the room and laughed as he saw the new bandage/bridge over his friend's nose.

"What happened?" Kirk asked, as he handed Gary the latest month's issue of Hustler magazine, via a data chip.

"Well, Nadya and I ended up on opposite teams." Gary said. "And I let her spike the ball, just to let her win a point, you know, trying to get into he good graces. She spiked the damn ball as hard as she could, into my nose!" Gary said, in anger.

"Maybe she was trying to get into your good graces."

Gary shook his head. "I don't know Jim. Maybe it's me, maybe I come on too strong," Gary said as he looked at images of nude women from the magazine as they were displayed on the monitor that was mounted in the corner of the ceiling.

"You think?" Kirk asked.

But Kirk knew something that Gary did not know. Nadya Chekov was in the reception area getting a visitor's badge, and was coming to Gary's room to apologize. Kirk took the remote from Gary's hand, just as he used it to flip to an advertisement about Erectile Dysfunction.

"I hate these idiotic ads," Gary said.

Kirk looked at the remote. "Let me go get some more batteries, I'll be right back."

"Sure," Gary said, "what a friend you are. Changing a guy's remote control batteries, you are the best Jim!"

Kirk opened the door to Gary's room to leave, and standing there was Nadya Chekov.

"Hello Captain," Chekov said, "I'm just here to see how Mr. Mitchell's doing."

Kirk headed out, "I'll be right back." Kirk said as Nadya prepared to enter.

"Oh, um, Jim," Gary said from his bed. "Could you please leave the remote?"

Kirk pointed at the remote control. "Batteries, I'll be right back."

Nadya walked past James Kirk and into Gary's room. Without the remote control Gary was unable to change the image on the screen which was showing an advertisement about male-enhancement pills for just $149.95. Nadya looked up at the monitor, seeing the advertisement, and then she looked at Gary.

"Umm," Gary said, with a look of humility on his face…

Continued


	6. Assemble

**Star Trek; Phase One**

**Written by Robert Canary**

"**Assemble"**

**USS Transfer Station  
Northern Sudan Territory**

When peace finally came to this battered country, and it joined the new United Nation Charter, it was decided by all those involved to give this country a major role in the exploration of space. So, with that decided, the massive Transfer station was built in the northern territory of Sudan. It was a massive complex that housed fifteen Russian built transfer shuttles. It was from this Transfer station that all future crews would board a shuttle and then be taken into orbit to the massive International Space station, designated USS Alpha-one, which was where the Enterprise was currently in final prep, parked near to Alpha-one in what was, essentially, a garage in space. The population of Sudan was proud of their role in these historic days of space exploration.

Richard Bashir was busy directing the maintenance crew that was prepping the shuttle that he would pilot up to the orbiting International Space Station. It would the first time that the crew of the Enterprise would actually see their massive ship. And Richard wanted his shuttle to be properly prepared for the near celebrity, James Kirk, and his historic crew.

As he was watching the crews prep the ship, Richard saw his four year old son, Julian, sitting on the boarding ramp, picking his nose. Often Richard would bring his son to work. Little Julian had become sort of a mascot for the workers at the Transfer Station.

Richard shook his head. Most kids Julian's age were already in the first phases of algebra, Julian was still counting rocks. Most his friends were learning tennis, or golf, Julian was picking his nose. His son was just slower than his peers. And that worried Richard, and his wife, Amsha, to the point that they were thinking of subjecting their son to illegal medical procedures that would enhance his abilities. If they were caught taking his son to a country that allowed such illegal DNA enhancing, it could cost them, Richard and Amsha, their freedom. But, as Richard watched his son stick his mucus covered finger into his mouth, he decided that his son was more important to him than his career in the United Space Service.

* * *

High in Earth orbit, at nearly twenty five thousand miles, was the massive USS Alpha-one Space station. And, nearly five miles away was the massive 'space garage' that was the current home of the USS ENTERPRISE. Built with the most modern of technologies, the USS ENTERPRISE was the first of what was hoped to be a fleet of Space Ships, twelve in all, that would colonize the solar system.

Earlier attempts to colonize Mars were cut back due to budgetary limits. Now that the main powers of Earth had found peace, all the money that had been spent on weapons of war, were now spent on a new space program. The population of Earth was amazed at how fast the entire United Space Agency program took off in terms of scope and planning. Most people attributed it to a new found hope, borne from the new United Nation Charter. But, for a select few, they knew there was something more at stake powering this endeavor: Charles-Dennison 14-850A.

Charles-Dennison 14-850A was a massive asteroid that was discovered back in the 2020s. It had been studied, and studied, and in 2043 it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the eighteen mile wide asteroid would smash into Earth in the year 2067. The result would be the end of the world. Though that date was still seventeen years in the future, no technology currently existed that could stop Charles-Dennison from reaching Earth. A press conference would be held in the coming days informing the rest of the world. And that the Enterprise's first mission would not be to colonize Mars, but to go beyond Mars, and rendezvous with the Asteroid and destroy it, if at all possible.

On board the USS Enterprise, many engineering crews were in the final stages of hardware and software installation into the various computers that would help maintain the ship.

The Enterprise was five-hundred and fifty feet long. It could hold a crew of two-hundred, at maximum occupancy. It was fitted with the latest in laser technology: Phasers. The Phasers were weapons that used polarized Neutrons that were super-charged in a special chamber. The beams were extremely powerful, and dense. There were also Photon Torpedoes, developed by Chinese scientists. These Torpedoes contained experimental anti-matter electrons, which were developed using the experimental field of Quantum Mechanics, and effectively gave these new Torpedoes the designation as Quantum Torpedoes.

The engine system was a revolution in technology. Designed by noted engineer Charles Tucker, it was a departure from most theories. Two laser satellites were put in orbit of Earth. These two satellites would beam sun powered lasers at the ship. The ship would collect the concentrated beams, and then use the energy to power the engines. When full speed was reached, nearly half the speed of light, the lasers would be shutdown. Then, as the ship approached Mars, two satellites there would be activated and would beam lasers at the incoming ship, slowing it down. While in transit to mars, a journey that would take twenty-seven hours, special solar panels would absorb the deadly radiation from the sun, and storing it inl filters that would power the ship on its mission to Charles-Dennison.

Aboard the Enterprise, on this day, was a very important person. His name was Richard Daystom. While the ship was built with, primarily, Scottish engineering expertise, it was Richard Daystom who had designed the complex computer system that would be at the heart of the ship. And at the very center of the computer system was Daystrom's pride and joy; S.P.O.C.K. Spock was an artificially-intelligent and interactive computer that would be the Captain's direct link to the system. The personality of the computer came from Daystrom's own brain schematics, using a new psychotronic computer/brain interface which was developed by the reclusive Swedish scientist named Deanna Troi. Her theories about how, one day, thoughts would be used to control machinery were years ahead of their time.

* * *

It was 0900 when the shuttle, with the Enterprise command crew aboard, lifted off from the Sudan Transfer station and streaked into the cloudless sky above skies of Northern Africa. The event was carried on all news outlets. Bios about the command crew were weaved in with live news broadcasts. The official launch of the USS ENTERPRISE was still one month away, but for the rest of that time the command crew would spend it up on the new ship in final prep, and training, for the mission to Mars, and onward to Charles-Dennison.

But Gary Mitchell was not happy, at all. CNN dedicated an entire two minutes to Gary's life, where as Jim Kirk, his best friend, got an entire half hour segment. Mitchell was second in command and worthy, he thought, of at least a fifteen minute spot. Even Sulu got more air time and why?

Gary Mitchell was sitting next to Sulu on the shuttle. They had just left the atmosphere of Earth. They would dock with the USS ALHPA ONE two hours later. The onboard TV monitors were displaying CNN's non-stop ENTERPRISE coverage.

CNN was airing the media coverage, and the crew members each had monitors at their seats to view the TV coverage. Mitchell and Sulu were watching the biography, and the recorded interview segment with Sulu. Mitchell looked at his watch, and saw that Sulu's coverage was nearing fifteen minutes. And, watching the Sulu segment and what it focused on, Gary Mitchell believed he knew why Sulu was getting so much attention.

"Are you really gay?" Gary asked Sulu.

Sulu smiled. "Why yes, I am. Who wants to know?" Sulu raised both eyebrows.

"Oh believe me," Gary said, "I don't. I'm just fricking pissed off that you got fifteen minutes to tell your story, and I got all of maybe two minutes. And the only reason I can come up with is because you're gay. That's such horse crap."

"Well," Sulu said, "I also am the only Japanese officer among the command crew, and I do descend from nobility. I also set many flight records during my service in the Japanese Air-force, and," Sulu added, "I have also been a television food critic for several years on the New Iron Chef. You can't deny that I do have a pretty impressive back story."

Mitchell thought for a moment. "Nah," he finally said, "you got fifteen minutes because you're gay."

"I'll have to tell my agent, Sam Berkovits," Sulu said with a smile, "to go ahead and negotiate a higher fee for my action-figure line. This CNN spot will definitely raise my Q rating. It's got be higher than Chris Pine, the PRICE LINE guy's rating."

"You have your own agent?" Gary asked with a long face.

"You have to these days," Sulu said, "when you're a celebrity like us. Don't you have an agent?"

"Yes," Gary said after a pause, "I do."

James Kirk, who was sitting in the row of seats in front of Sulu and Gary, turned around, and with a smile said, "Gary's agent is his cousin Sally."

"I see," Sulu said to Gary. "Too bad, I was going to call Sam and see if he could represent you too."

Gary took a cell phone from out of his pocket, pressed a button, and then said three words, "Sally, you're fired." Then he put the phone back into his pocket.

Sulu smiled. "I will see what I can do. If you want, I'll help you make up your media profile; No one can create media-profiles like me. I'll make you more marketable."

"Cool," Gary said. "That would be really cool. And hey," he added, "And trust me, I don't care if you're gay. I'm down with that." He lightly punched Sulu on the right shoulder.

"Good," Sulu said, "maybe we can become good friends. You can take me to the bars you hang out at, and I'll take you to some of the spots I swing in. We can be buds," Sulu added with a smile.

Gary Mitchell gulped.

Three rows behind Sulu and Mitchell were Nadya Chekov, and Nyota Uhura. Chekov had been raised in Moscow Russia. Her family was considered one of the more affluent families, and traced their roots back centuries into the past. Her mother was a ballerina, and had hoped that her daughter, Nadya, would follow in her footsteps.

But Nadya's father was an experienced Cosmonaut of nearly twenty-five years. He had traveled into space fifteen times in his long career. Chekov found the life her father lived far more exciting than spinning around on the tips of her toes with other dancers.

So against her mother's wishes she joined the military and eventually, with her father's help, she transferred into the new United Space Agency. After two years of training she was selected to join the command crew of the USS ENTERPRISE. Her dad was very proud; her mother was a good dancer.

Nyota Uhura had immigrated to America three years ago. Already fluent in many languages, she decided to throw herself into the complex communication technologies that were coming to life in United Space Agency. Already with two Master-Degrees, and a Ph.D in the works, she decided to take her studies to American and tutor with the woman who had designed most of the new era communication technologies: Hoshi Sato. There was no one in the United Space Agency that knew their way around the complex technology as much as Nyota did. And for that, she was proud.

The two women were watching the CNN broadcast as well. They news channel was focusing now on Nadya Chekov. It showed archival footage of Nadya when she was nine years old, twirling around in her leotard to a very approving mother. Then they showed photos of Nadya, years later, traversing an obstacle course during her military training. Nadya watched the news story, and didn't blink one time.

"You were a ballerina?" Uhura asked.

"All Russian girls are ballerinas," Nadya responded.

Uhura smiled, she could sense Nadya's anger at her mother. "My mother wanted me to be a lawyer," Uhura said. "My father wanted me to join his Jazz band, and tour Europe with him forever. They only want what they think is best for us."

Chekov looked at the images, taken just a year ago, when she had broken the Trans-Atlantic flight speed record. Her father was among the crowd, cheering, as she climbed out of the jet. Her mother was no here to be seen.

Uhura also noticed that Chekov's mother was nowhere to be seen. Uhura made it a note to befriend Nadya Chekov. She would make it one of her goals to bring the girl out of her shell, and to help her get past rejection she believed her mom still felt for her.

Nearly two hours later, Richard Bashir slowed the shuttle down and brought it alongside the Space Station. There was a slight thump as it made contact with the Alpha-one. Moments later the crew filed out of the shuttle, one at a time. Captain Bashir was glad that it had been a perfect flight, and that his part of the historic mission, had played out on time, and with out incident.

Continued...


	7. The SPOCK Unit

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**The S.P.O.C.K. Unit**

**Starring**

**Brad Pitt as James Kirk**

**Vince Vaughn as Gary Mitchell**

**Morgan Freeman as Richard Daystrom**

**Alicia Keys as Guinan**

**and**

**The voice of James Earl Jones as S.P.O.C.K.**

The command crew of the Enterprise was into their second hour aboard their new starship; in essence, their new home for the foreseeable future. Most of them had, at one point in their United Space Agency careers, trained on one of two full sized mock-ups. One mock-up, designated the USS BOTANY BAY, was kept in a giant hanger-bay in Hobart Australia. But due to wear and tear, that mock-up had been sold to a museum. (And unknown to the United Space Agency, the museum was owned and operated by John Gill, who saw a better future for the Botany Bay.)

The other mock-up was housed in a large building in the desert of California. As good as the mock-ups were for training, they couldn't match the raw feeling, and power, of the USS ENTERPRISE.

The crew was being given a tour by the proud engineers, mainly Scottish and Russian, who had built the ship, including Montgomery Scott's uncle, Ronald Scott. He was a portly round man full of vigor, and obvious pride of what they had built.

As the rest of the crew went on with the tour, James Kirk noticed an African-American, in his late fifties or early sixties, working at one of the computer stations on the circular bridge where the crew would be spending most of their working time. Kirk, with Gary Mitchell by his side, slowly made his way over to the man.

"What's wrong?" Gary Mitchell asked Kirk. "Don't you recognize him?" Mitchell asked. "That's Richard Daystrom. This guy has been designing computer networks, and complex duotronic systems, for decades. Most, if not all of the computer hardware and software on this ship came from what his mind came up with. He's a billionaire I might add."

"What is that box he is talking with?" Kirk asked.

Mitchell looked closer. Daystrom was indeed talking to a strange, black and silver box that was sitting atop one the panels.

Mitchell shook his head. "I don't know," Mitchell said. "Maybe it's a voice activated toaster."

Daystrom looked back at the two men as they drew closer to him. He had a very elegant, but distant, look to his face.

"This is hardly a toaster," the man said. He stood up and offered his hand to Kirk. "My name is Dr. Richard Daystrom, and this," Daystrom said, as he motioned to the box, "is S.P.O.C.K."

Kirk and Mitchell both looked at the strange computer that did indeed resemble one of those out-dated toaster ovens.

"Spock?" Daystrom said, "Say hello to your new friend, James T. Kirk."

"Good afternoon, Captain James Tiberius Kirk," Spock said in a familiar voice.

Gary Mitchell snapped his finger. "Wait a second," Mitchell said excitedly, "Isn't that the voice of Darth Vader?"

Daystrom nodded his head, "It is indeed," Daystrom replied. "I was very fond of his voice as a child, so I synthesized his voice, and when it came time to select a voice for Spock, I chose James Earl Jones's voice."

"Oh, this is totally cool," Mitchell said with a broad smile. "I gotta tell my brother about this. You know Bobby," Mitchell said to Kirk. "He'll go nuts knowing that you'll be interacting with Darth Vader on this mission."

"You do mean Spock," Kirk said to Mitchell. "I will be interacting with Spock, not Darth Vader."

"Yeah, whatever," Mitchell said. "Get it to say this is your destiny; or something like that."

"This is your destiny," The voice of Spock said.

"Oh man!" Mitchell said as he clapped his hands and laughed, "This is so cool."

Kirk looked at his excited friend and shook his head. "Some people are amused so easily," Kirk said to Mitchell.

"Damn right," Mitchell replied with a smile.

As Gary conversed with Spock, Daystrom walked with Kirk around the perimeter of the bridge.

Daystrom looked to Kirk. "You don't seem as impressed as your friend," Daystrom said.

Kirk shook his head. "Oh, I am impressed Dr. Daystrom, I really am," Kirk said. "But I have read about your M-class computer project. If I am correct, you hope to replace starship captains, someday, with computers, on the premise that they will make better commanders than humans."

"Oh, they will," Daystrom said. "A computer can make all the same decisions that a human can, and without the politics or social fabrics that come with humanity."

"I don't know," Kirk said with a warm smile. "We haven't even begun to explore the solar system, really, in terms of manned space travel, and you already want to take the thrill of going to Mars, or Jupiter, or where ever else, away from the human adventure. Maybe, years down the line, I could see a move to unmanned exploration, but not now."

Daystrom smiled back at Kirk. "Captain Kirk, when man goes into space, just as you are about to, he will bring his undeniable problems with him. It is in the human gene, and cannot be denied. We haven't really changed in the last fifty-thousand years, and I fear we will bring the problems of our society into space with us, and eventually war will come to space as well."

"Then why are you part of the mission?" Kirk asked. "If you truly believe what you do, then why contribute to a future you do not want to live in?"

"To be honest, Kirk, I am doing this for my own vanity. I have, perhaps, the greatest mind ever to spring the womb of a woman. It would be a travesty not to allow someone as worthy as myself to not be part of this great step in man's evolution."

Kirk did not like the man's lack of humility. In fact, he had a God complex that made the hair on the back of Kirk's neck stand straight-up.

-

As the command crew continued with their tour, another shuttle docked with the Enterprise. On board the shuttle were more crew members, including one very interesting civilian worker. Her name was Guinan.

Guinan was charged with running 10-forward. It was a recreation area that included a bar, which served non-alcoholic beverages as well as limited, and regulated, alcoholic beverages. Studies on Earth proved that social networks, between humans in peek years of performance, would be required for space travel. Years upon years of data proved that lack of interaction between humans, casual and sexual, led to higher incidents of human error. And the use of regulated alcohol drinks had been proven to be very successful in that it opened up both parties to conversation aspects that otherwise might not be bridged.

Guinan, an African-American female at the age of 31, held a PhD in Sociology, and more importantly, she also owned a bar in Chicago, where she spent most of her time observing humanity, in all of its forms; the good, the bad, and the ugly.


	8. The TMZ Zone

Christina Pike, daughter of Colonel Christopher Pike, entered the United Space Agency Building. It was a large complex that was located on an artificially created island off the coast of Daytona Beach, Florida.

Normally Christina would be going there to sneak off with James Kirk for an 'afternoon delight," skyrockets in flight and all. On this day, she was going there to save James Kirk's career. At least, that was her intention.

She entered the highly-secured building and showed her special pass to the security guards. They knew her because of her high ranking father. But they really knew her for all the very 'sexy' outfits she liked show off when she visited.

Apparently her father, Christopher Pike, had no idea how his youthful daughter, who had just turned twenty, could turn heads the way she did. And it was doubly clear she knew that the security men would ogle her as she came into the building. She would often look back, and would catch them staring at her firm backside, and would throw them a seductive wink.

She stepped into the elevator. There were no other people in the elevator as the door finally closed, and the elevator car began its ascension up the shaft. As it did, she flashed back over the events earlier in the day, when reality paid her a visit.

-  
BEGIN FLASHBACK

While shopping at a crowded local clothing boutique, she was approached by two men who said it was urgent that she met with them. Ever curious, she joined them at a local coffee house. Both men were obviously working for someone else, she surmised, because they wore common clothes and were common looking. They escorted her to a private booth where someone else was already waiting.

She sat down at the booth and was greeted by a man who was very handsome, and dressed very nice, very exquisitely to be more exact, and had a nice warm smile. He reached out his hand, as did she, and then kissed her just above her soft knuckles.

"Hello my dear, my name is Garak," he said to her. "Plain and simple, Tom Garak. I think you and I are going to have a most wonderful working relationship today."

She liked the man. He carried himself with a very aristocratic flare.

"How can I help you, mister Garak?" Tina asked.

"Actually, my darling," Garak said as he slid a fork of pasta into his mouth, "you will be helping me."

Tina took a sip from the complimentary glass of water.

Garek sipped from a glass of wine. He motioned towards the menu on the table. "Please, order whatever you wish, lunch is on me," he said with his warm smile.

"I'm doing the South-eastern diet right now," Tina responded, "and I've already had my carbs and protein for the day."

Garak nodded. "Very good," he said to her. "You are quite stunning my dear and it would be foolish to let that slight figure of yours to go to waste."

She smiled. "Why thank you," she said with her own genuine smile. "Now, do I know you?"

Garak shook his head. "Oh, I rather doubt that, love. But don't let that concern you. I have a feeling that you and I will become quite close friends today."

Tina seemed confused, but it didn't rattle her. "What is it that we will be doing together?" she asked Garak.

He dabbed his mouth with a napkin that he kept below the table, and then put the napkin back on down. "I want you to look at some pictures I have," he told her as he reached over to an envelope that was situated on the seat next to him. He reached in and took out five glossy pictures. He looked at them for a moment. He then handed them to her.

They were pictures of a very erotic nature. They were pictures of Tina, and James T. Kirk, having sex inside of the bathroom stall. The pictures were very detailed, and very raunchy. She remembered the day quite well. Suddenly it got a little chilly in the coffee house.

"Those," Garak said, "are obviously pictures of you and James Kirk, the super-star astronaut, hero to all boys and girls, having sex in a common bathroom stall. Seeing these photos all over TMZ would not be good for 'Captain America' and his career, and would also make your father quite angry I dare say." His warm smile now seemed sinister.

"You can't do that to James," Tina pleaded. "It would destroy him!"

"Well, my dear Christina," Garak said with mock concern, "I want only to help you two out of this situation. In fact," he lied, "I'm just trying to make this whole ordeal go away."

She dabbed at her eyes, which had tears coming from them, with a table napkin. "What can I do?" she asked.

Garak said, "What I need for you to do is to go to your father's office and make me a copy of these two files, (he handed her a piece of paper with writing on it) which should be located on his work computer. Don't worry, they are not that important, quite mundane actually. Once you do this, I think I can give these files to the man who hired me, and if they are to his liking, I will give you the photos and you can simply destroy them."

She dried her tears and nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Tina told Garak, with resolve in her voice, "I can do this."

And with that said, Tina headed off to do what she had been instructed to do.

END FLASH BACK

Tina stepped out of the elevator which had, at last, reached the floor her father's office was on. Her father, if he was on his daily schedule, would be at lunch. She would be able to enter his office and get the two files, and then she would be able to save Jim's career.

Her father's secretary, and older woman named Stella, let Tina pass. She entered her father's office and found it, thankfully, empty.

-

Garak sat in the coffee house, and waited for Tina to return. As he read the morning paper, he was joined by another man.

"What is her progress?" John Gill asked.

"She's at her father's office now," Garak said as he read the sports section. Then he looked over to Gill. "By the way," Garak said, "I have no intention of disappearing off the face of the Earth as others have while your employee."

Gill smiled. "Why mister Garak," he said, "that isn't a nice thing to say to a friend."

Garak was not smiling. "We are not friends, Mr. Gill, and I would suggest that you remember that."

John Gill nodded his head in acknowledgment, and then ordered some coffee for himself.

Continued…


	9. Khan

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**KHAN!**

Khan Noonien Singh sat in his home, which was located in the southern part of Punjab India. It was the middle of the afternoon, and it was raining. The monsoon season had passed, but the humidity still remained, and with it, the rain as well. This would be his last night on Earth for quite some time. The Enterprise would be leaving for Mars in one week, but all essential personal were required to be aboard the ship in the next two days. So, he would spend this last day, at home, with his family.

Sonali, his wife, was at the local college, attending class. It was early in the afternoon and she would not be home until later in the evening. Their child, Harhjiwandha, or Harsh for short as they called him, was at school as well. He was only nine years old, but he was already learning at an advanced level. Khan was proud of his son's success.

As Khan sat in the chair, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, and he was silent. For all of his success, his life all seemed so hollow to him. For the past few days he had a detached sensation in his mind, and it seemed that everything around him was a dream. In fact, as he stared at his face in the mirror, sometimes he felt he was staring at the face of a stranger.

What Khan didn't know, nor could he, was that he was the product of illegal genetic engineering, and false memory enhancements. In fact, his name wasn't even Khan, and the face he was staring at was someone else's. His memories were those of another man, who was killed, so as to steal his memories and put them into Khan's mind. The career he enjoyed as an engineering maintenance specialist aboard the new USS ENTERPRISE had been the dead man's career. But none of this was known to Khan, because in his mind, he was that man; he was Khan.

Khan's actual physical body was one of sixty persons that the world had thought were destroyed decades ago, when they were still embryos. They were actually kept alive by a man, John Gill, who hoped to use these enhanced beings to take over the world and to install a world government that he thought would be best for all. He would model the new government after the model of Hitler's Germany.

When the United Space Agency announced plans to go to Mars, John Gill saw it as man's first ability to leave Earth, and to establish his footprint into space. But what good would a new world order do on Earth unless the coming colonies on Mars were not part of it. To that end, Gill decided to use his race of enhanced humans, to infiltrate the mission so as to steer it into the direction he wanted. Khan was just one of seven enhanced beings who had infiltrated the Space Agency, and had been assigned to the first mission to colonize Mars. Each was given face grafts of real people, all of whom had been killed, and after their memories had been applied to their replacements.

John Gill would use whatever power was at his disposal to assure that his seven 'children' were part of the crew that would be left on Mars to build that world. Khan, with his unique abilities, would become one of the leaders, and the Space Agency would be forced to reward his contributions. And with his magnetic personality, Khan would, in a few years time, be in position to rule Mars, or so that is how John Gill had planned it.

But, on this day, Khan was sitting alone, staring at his image, and slowly losing his mind. He subconsciously had taken out a pair of sharp scissors from his wife's sewing kit, and had carved a sliver of marble from the sink covering. There was an urge inside of him, and he didn't understand it. But it was not normal.

Sometime later, it could have been hours, Khan couldn't tell, he heard a voice calling for him. It was far in the distance, and as he stared at his face in the mirror, he felt his hand gripping the scissors even tighter. The voice belonged to Sonali, his wife. She must have come home from college.

Khan looked up at the clock on the wall of the room and saw that it was nearly 6:30pm. He had been staring at his face, and lost in his hazy thoughts, for nearly four hours. And now, all he wanted to do was to use the scissors. When she came into the room, Khan decided, he would stab her several dozen times, and kill her. He didn't want to, but he couldn't stop himself. It was as if he were becoming someone else, and that someone else wanted to kill. He stood up from the chair, and waited for her to come through the door; and then she would die in a pool of blood.

The door opened and then his son, Taji, ran through the door looking for his papa; Khan. Seeing his son jolted him from his trance and then his wife came into the room as well.

"What are you doing?" She asked pointed at the scissors.

He smiled at her. "Nothing important," he lied. "I just wanted to cut the tags off of my backpacks before I leave tomorrow."

She shook her head. "Are you crazy?" she asked him as she took the scissors from his hand. "You are much too important to risk cutting your fingers. I shall cut them for you."

Taji ran over and hugged Khan at the waist.

"I will miss you, papa," Taji said looking up at Khan.

"And I shall miss you my son. I shall bring you back something from Mars to make up for our being from you for so long," Khan said as a smile.

Khan knelt down on his knees and hugged the little boy. The boy's presence had saved Khan from becoming a cold blooded killer, for now. Had he known the boy wasn't actually his, it was quite likely that both the mother and child would have been killed.

He was a walking time bomb. And as Khan watched his son run off for supper, Khan looked back into the mirror and saw the stranger again.

"Who am I?" Khan whispered to his reflection.

Continued…

**For a STAR TREK horror story...try to find my story STAR TREK WORLD. Captain Kirk a crazed killer...oh yeah! But I warn you...it is not for the timid!**


	10. Launch

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**Launch!**

October 31, 2050, would be the day that future calendars marked as the day the first manned mission to Mars was successfully sent underway. There had been three delays, but after three weeks of them, the go command was given and the Enterprise prepared to move out of the large dock that had been its home during construction for nearly seven years.

As billions of people watched on their TVs, and computers, and Ipods, and all other forms of media, they could see one of the dockworkers, clad in a space suit, waving at the large ship as it gracefully slid out of dock, and into the vastness of space, with Earth in background. It was a rare occasion when the people of Earth had something they could all cheer for, but on occasion it did happen. But no other event in the history of the world, even when peace finally came to the Middle East, had caused as much harmony as this, the first mission to Mars. The people of Earth also knew the urgency of the mission, to destroy the comet that was heading toward Earth. Though no one knew for sure if the Enterprise would be successful, all could feel the hope that was generated by the fearless crew, and the charming, but magnetic captain, James Tiberius Kirk.

Captain James T. Kirk and his command Bridge crew were all at their posts. Kirk sat in a special command chair that was positioned in the center of the bridge, on a lower level from the rest of the bridge. The bridge itself was a circular shaped operations center. Kirk, sitting in the middle, in a pivot chair, would primarily be facing the large view screen, which displayed live camera feeds, as well as data streams. Attached to the left arm of Kirk's chair was the special interface to the S.P.O.C.K. The Spock was the Captain's special device that allowed him to converse with the A.I. aspect of the Enterprise that kept all systems running smoothly. Up to this point, Kirk found no reason to talk to the Spock at all. Though, with Daystrom onboard, Kirk was confident that Daystrom would insure that Kirk used the Spock.

Just forward of Kirk, on the same lower level, and closer to the main screen, were the Helm station, manned by Lt. Sulu, and the Navigator's post, which was next to Sulu, to Kirk's right. Navigation was manned by Lt. Nadya Chekov. Until the planned upgrades were made, the weapons systems were integrated with Chekov's post as well. At first it had been thought that Helm would have the collateral duty of weapons, but it was passed over to Navigation upon further review.

Along the outside of the lower ring, along the upper level, were the supporting stations which were manned by various crew members. Lt. Commander Nyota Uhura manned the communications post, which were situated on the upper ring of the bridge and aft from Kirk's command chair. Her computer panels, and controls, extended to her left and merged with Gary Mitchell and his station. Commander Mitchell's primary duty was ops, and overseeing all other duties of the command crew. Which meant, at any moment, Commander Mitchell could take over, from his post, any of the other bridge stations. To Uhura's right, and past the entrance to the bridge, was the satellite engineering post, which was, for launch purposes, manned by Lt. Commander Scott.

The Enterprise was over five hundred feet long. Its cylinder shaped hull contained seven decks, which included specialized sections throughout. The crew of the vessel slept on the fourth deck, which was the most inner deck. It was constructed this way so that if the special hull, which lined the outside of the ship, were compromised by lethal space radiation, in all its forms, the crew could retreat to the fourth deck which had special lining built into the walls for such emergencies. There was also an auxiliary bridge on this level as well.

Doctor McCoy sat in the modern sickbay, which was located on deck three, and monitored the life signs of the bridge crew. In fact, all members of the crew were continually wired to the ship's net via wireless devices. This allowed constant medical evaluation, which assured the most rapid response from McCoy and his ready to go med crews, if and when they were needed.

The Enterprise was also equipped with a very advanced elevator system called turbolifts. They were magnetically driven travel pods which could hold up to five passengers, standing up, comfortably. The cars traveled silently at speeds up to two hundred miles per hour, and not only traveled vertically, but horizontally as well through an elaborate web of travel conduits.

As McCoy was watching the life-signs of the main crew, he was also finishing up on some administrative issues as well. He sat at his computer and closed out the personal file of one of the life-science departments crew members. The file belonged to Lt. Carol Marcus, who had to transfer back to shore duty due to her finding out that she was a month pregnant. McCoy frowned, he actually like the young woman's work ethic. He hoped, someday, that she would find her way back to active space duty down the line.

Captain Kirk was very proud of his crew. They had handled the launch from space dock quite well. The next part of the mission would be the most risky part. The power to the experimental engines would be beamed to the Enterprise via two special satellites that would remain in orbit of Earth, but that would send two highly powered beams directed at the Enterprise. Two collection plates would transfer the energy from the beams to the Ionized Graviton Jeffries Chambers, which would then segment the energy to ships support systems, and more importantly, to the ships engines. Once the ship gained maximum speed, at nearly forty percent of light speed, which would take seven hours to accelerate to, the beams would be cut off from the satellites back at Earth, and the ship would continue on with it stored energy reserves. Once it neared Mars, a journey that would take nearly twenty-seven hours, two satellites in Mars orbit would repeat the process and beam two beams at the Enterprise, causing gradual slowdown. The braking systems would cut in, and the deceleration process would only take two hours.

The risks were simple, but the crew of the Enterprise knew that risk was part of their mission. If the lasers powering the ship were aimed wrong, just slightly, and the beams came into contact with the primary hull, the beams would slice through the ship, killing all aboard. Even as they faced risks, Captain Kirk was confident they would succeed.


	11. Application Given

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**Application Given**

Featuring;

Brad Pitt as James T Kirk

Vince Vaughn as Gary Mitchell

Morgan Freeman as Richard Daystrom

Christopher Lee as John Gill

Lawrence Fishburne as Phillip Green

and

the voice of James Earl Jones as The S.P.O.C.K. Unit

**The USS Enterprise in space…in route to Mars**

The command crew of the USS ENTERPRISE, after total acceleration had been completed, stood back and allowed the second shift to take control of the bridge. This was everyone's first mission so it was a primary goal to make sure that all aspects of the ship were put to test, including the second shift.

Commander Gary Mitchell, the ship's XO, had handpicked the second shift based on reports from the command crew, along with the United Space Agency as well. But since it was the primary responsibility of the XO to build up the second crew, it was really in Gary's lap. Gary had been monitoring the second crew all through the training process back on Earth. And he also had another secret method for making the choices: A magic-8 Ball. It had always done well for him. (Remember folks, Gary's ESP rating. It is quite possible that the 8 Ball isn't as random as it may seem.)

The second crew would be commanded by Lt. Commander Chakotay. He was of Native-American descent and wore his facial tattoos proudly, and he was the highest ranking bridge officer on duty during the second shift.

The Helmsman and Navigator were both Lieutenant Junior Grade Officers. The Helmsman on second shift was Ensign Gene Coon. He, like James Kirk, was a young hot shot at the academy, though several years younger. But, just like Kirk, he also had a wild streak that would have to be contained.

The Navigator on second shift was a young woman from Brazil. Her name was Ensign Ramie Cortez. Her family had a rich heritage, having several historic explorers from the past in her family heritage.

Various other lower rank crew members would staff the other second shift positions. And as Kirk watched, one by one, as the command crew were relieved by their second shift counterparts, he felt confident that Gary had chosen the right individuals.

As James T. Kirk watched Lt Commander Chakotay receive a briefing from Gary, Kirk decided to activate the Spock unit which was attached to the left side of his command chair. There was a simple activation button. He eyed the device and then pressed the button.

S.P.O.C.K.: (voice of James Earl Jones): Spock, reporting as ordered.

"ummm...Hello," Kirk said, feeling a bit odd as he spoke to the unit. "This is Captain Kirk."

SPOCK: Sir, there is no need to state who you are. My system has been uploaded with the voice imprints of every crew member.

"I see," Kirk said. "I just was wondering earlier if you noticed the passage of time since we departed Earth?"

SPOCK: I have indeed. I should state that I did notice a slight lag time in the implementation of your orders by the crew, so I am recommending you address this issue with Commander Gary Mitchell since it is his duty to insure crew readiness.

"Thank you for the report," Kirk said to Spock, "but as you noted, I already have a first officer to monitor the performance of the crew."

SPOCK: It is only logical that until my humanoid construct is completed that I too make such notations for future reference. I have been programmed to assume the duties of first officer in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Kirk became suspicious. "I didn't know they were giving you a humanoid appearance down the line, and I wish that I had been kept informed," Kirk said.

There was no response from SPOCK.

Seeing that the debriefing was over, James Kirk switched the Spock unit off and joined Gary Mitchell in the Turbo-lift.

"What's wrong?" Mitchell asked Kirk, noticing the uneasy look on Kirk's face.

"Did you know that he Spock unit will eventually be transferred to an android construct?" Kirk asked.

"Do I look like I read the monthly Geek Magazine?" Gary asked.

"Well, you should." Kirk added, "The Spock unit already has a new job in mind." Kirk said to Mitchell.

"Oh, it wants a new job, huh?" Gary Mitchell asked with a grin. "Well if it has any soft porn in its memory banks, then I have a suggestion for its next career move; First officer's yeoman."

"Ironically," Kirk said with a grin, "Spock wants your job."

Mitchell laughed. "That'll be the day," Mitchell said. "No human will ever want to serve a computer."

"They may not have a choice; in the future," Kirk said. "And that scares me."

Richard Daystrom sat in his quarters aboard the USS ENTERPRISE. Through a special relay, he had overheard Kirk's conversation with the Spock Unit. Daystrom was satisfied with how the Spock unit had carried out the conversation. Daystrom was confident that someday, soon, the Spock unit would be put to the test.

**Earth; Australia**

John Gill sat in the passenger seat of the helicopter as it slowly descended into the bowels of an island off the coast of Australia. Inside the giant island was a giant lair, which housed his soon to be fully operated starship, Botany Bay.

Gill marveled at the large vessel, which he could see perfectly as the copter slowly descended. Sparks could be seen coming from various parts of the hull where dozens of workers were working on the ship.

The Unites Space Agency had one operational starship, the Enterprise, with eleven more budgeted for construction. John Gill had only had one soon to be operational starship, but one was all he needed. The man who Gill had hired to oversee this part of his plan, the construct of the ship and crew selection, was a former officer of the Space Agency. His name was Colonel Phillip Green. If there was one person in this world who Green hated the most it was no doubt Colonel Christopher Pike, and through him, Pike's handpicked 'hero'; James T. Kirk.

The copter finally landed and Gill was welcomed by Green.

"Good afternoon Mr. Gill," Green said. "I trust your flight down here to the bottom of the world was safe."

Gill smiled. "It was indeed. All seven of my operatives are aboard the Enterprise. Once she returns successfully from the first mission, and we have debriefed them, I am quite sure we will have enough practical data to complete the finishing touches to our own ship; the Botany Bay, and our own ship interface; the D.A.T.A unit."

"And then," Green said with a very sinister smile, "we will show the United Space Agency, and the UN, that they cannot assume that the entire world will follow their decrees like toy soldiers."

"Just be patient," Gill advised. "We will wait for the perfect time, and then we will make our presence known. They say that time is the fire in which we all burn? Well," Gill said, "the new UN charter will someday be yet another teaspoon of ash on pit of history."

Continued…

**Look for my story ****STAR TREK: THE GALAXY WINDOW****. At over 530,000 words, be prepared for an epic story that is still continuing to this very day! Taking place in Roddenberry's universe, James T Kirk is alive and well in a post Nemesis Star Trek. When his "secret" existence is discovered by Benjamin Sisko and General Martok; then all hell breaks loose!**


	12. The Agony of it All

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**The Agony of it All**

Featuring;

Christopher Lee as John Gill

Lawrence Fishburne as Phillip Green

**John Gill's Secret Island lair off the coast of Australia:**

John Gill walked next to Colonel Green as both men walked past the massive Botany Bay, which was kept hovering, at stations keeping, via a magnetic field.

"She is a marvel," Green said. "And unlike her Unites Space Agency counterparts, she will be built for battle, not exploration."

Gill nodded in agreement. "True," Gill said, "but I don't want to go to war with the United Nations, I just want the world to know that there is an option to the kind of world the UN promises. We have seen the kinds of governments the masses can produce; now it's time for the elite to have our turn."

"I know we do not want war," Green said, "but in four months the United Space Agency will launch the Lexington, and if we stay on target, we will launch one week later. When we do launch the Botany Bay, I am quite sure the world will be surprised, and the UN will not be happy."

"Of that," Gill said with a smile, "I have no doubt. The non-aligned nations will fall in line behind us on that day as well, and the UN's role will be, at last, subservient to ours."

As they walked past one of the office rooms, screaming could be heard coming from beyond the door. It was the scream of a woman.

"What is that screaming?" Gill asked.

"One of the welders, a female, was caught with an unauthorized cell-phone," Green told Gill. "We decided to try out the new Agony-booth on her."

Green opened the door. At the far end of the room a woman, naked, was inside of a totally transparent chamber. Her wrists were restrained to the wall inside the chamber, as were her ankles. Several electrodes were fastened to sensitive parts of her body. They were wireless devices that fed off of an electric field that was generated inside of the chamber. Her screaming had stopped, due to the devices being turned off. One of the men who stood outside the booth spoke into a microphone.

"We know you had the phone, and according to your own phone-log you were talking to your child in Manila just one hour before you were caught with the device. Do you understand that this lack of discipline is why you are here?" the man asked.

The woman, who was obviously dazed, nodded in agreement. "Yes, I am sorry. I will not do it again."

Gill looked to Green. "I do not wish to see this," Gill said.

Green nodded, and then closed the door just as the screams continued.

"How long must she endure the Agony-Booth?" Gill asked.

"I would guess," Green said, "another hour, if she can last."

The two men walked on, and Gill felt a small twinge of guilt in his stomach at the thought of such a device being used. But Gill had hired Green for such reasons, and his strong desire to run a disciplined outfit. And although Gill felt sorrow for the woman, and the pain she was enduring, Gill also knew it was sending a message to all the other workers at the secret lair. The message was simple: Stray from the rules and regulations, and you will pay dearly.

"In case you're wondering," Col. Green said to John Gill, "an Agony-Booth will be part of the Botany Bay's security section. Not only for the discipline of the crew, but for any visitors that we might get the opportunity to use it on."

"You mean Kirk, don't you?" Gill asked, pointedly.

"Yes," Green said with a fiendish smile on his face. "James T. Kirk represents everything I hate about the new UN and its United Space Agency. You might say that his is the face that the UN and the Space Agency want to use as an ambassador to all the people in the world to join their idiotic cause. Someday, Kirk will be in our custody aboard the Botany Bay. And when he is, his clothing will be stripped, and he will be tortured for the entire world to see. If we can break the will of Superman, and humiliate him, then we can break the will of the world."

They soon entered the massive mission control ops center, which was still being put together. Wires twisted, and crisscrossed, from drop areas and out of every hole in the wall.

"Impressive," Gill said.

"I had hoped for an entire wireless mission control," Green said, "but this will do. The extra funds we had to modernize the wiring were funneled over to the D.A.T.A. program."

Green pointed to a strange, blue colored device that sat, blinking, inside of a glass container.

"Is that it?" Gill asked.

"Yes," Green said, "that is the Data interface. It is just as advanced as the Spock interface program that the USS Enterprise has."

"Those stolen specs were useful?" Gill asked.

"Yes," Green replied. "They included the final command override differentials. You can tell Tom Garak that if he is done with the girl, Christina Pike, he could always bring her here to me. I could find something," Green paused, "amusing to do with her."

"Not now," Gill said. "I know she is the daughter of your nemesis, Christopher Pike, but we may need her in the future. So you can stop salivating over the thought that she can be your toy; at least for now."

Green nodded, "I can wait," Green agreed.

* * *

The Agony-Booth was being cleaned out. The young Filipino-Female worker, who had been caught with the cellphone, had died from the stress of the Agony-Booth. Her blood, sweat, and feces stained the interior and gave it a very putrid smell. The Chief of Security, Jomia Kor, nodded his head in genuine displeasure as the dead woman's corpse was zipped up inside of a body bag, and was dragged out of the room.

"Such a shame," Kor said to the four men who were cleaning out the booth. "She was quite lovely. And now that she is dead, who will care for her two children back at home?"

The men cleaning the Agony-Booth had no answer. They had learned to never engage Kor with idle talk, only to listen to it. To do so might garner one an appointment inside of the insidious device.

"NOW CLEAN THIS BOOTH UP!" Kor yelled at the workers suddenly. His anger was pure, and loud. "IF I SMELL THE SCENT OF HER DEATH IN HERE WHEN I COME BACK, YOU WILL ALL FEEL THE PAIN THAT CAN COME FROM MY AGONY BOOTH!"

Kor laughed at the four workers as they began to scrub the inside of the chamber at a much faster pace.

Continued….

**coming soon...STAR TREK: THE REPLY..the time; now! When a young boy accidentally transmits a sub-space message to his friends in India and England, the result could be the destruction of Earth! Why? Because in this universe STAR TREK is just a TV-Show. And if you start accidentally sending subspace messages into real outer space, showing the abilities of a space ship (that isn't real) someone "out there" might thing it is the real thing...and _come a knocking on your door_...**

**coming soon...**


	13. the PR effect

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**The PR effect **

Featuring

Brad Pitt as James T Kirk

Greg Vaughn as Gary Mitchell

Mark Harmon as Dr. Leonard McCoy

Morgan Freeman as Richard Daystrom

Rosario Dawson as Uhura

Kento Hayashi as Sulu

and the voice of James Earl Jones as "SPOCK"

* * *

The Enterprise had successfully made it to Mars. The crew of the ship, the first humans to Mars, all took a moment to gaze out their windows, or used their monitors, to view the absolute beauty of the red planet beneath them. Doctor McCoy had entered the bridge and stood on the lower level, next to Kirk, who was sitting in the command chair.

"Well, we made it," McCoy said. "So when do the engineering teams head down?"

"Actually," Kirk said as he sipped from a cup of coffee that McCoy had brought for him, "I just spoke to Lt. Khan and he told me they will be ready to take the two shuttles down to the planet within the next two hours or so."

"Do you think Khan and his construction crews will have enough of the colony up and running in time for the Lexington's arrival next year?" McCoy asked.

"Sure," Kirk said, "with all the pre-positioned materials the Space Agency has been sending up here over the past three or four years, they should be able to get it done on time. Khan and his crew no doubt understand the time table they are on."

Uhura came down to the lower level.

"Sir," she said to Kirk, "I just received a coded message. I have transferred it to your ready room."

"Thanks, I'll check out later." Kirk said, "Have you gotten any word from Olivia yet? You know she wants to tell everyone back on Earth that she was the first person to talk a man from mars."

"No, not yet," Uhura said with a sly look, "but you're right. I'm sure we'll get a hail any moment. If I know her, she's twisting the arm of a certain senator to get her air time at the United Space Agency complex in D.C."

At that moment Doctor Richard Daystrom came out of the turbo-lift.

"Ah," Captain Kirk said as he saw Daystrom survey the bridge area, "Welcome to Mars Dr. Daystrom."

Daystrom smiled, and then started looking around at the various stations on the bridge, which were configured with many of his duotronic advancements through the years.

"So," McCoy said to Kirk, "are you still planning on going down there when the construct-crews go?"

"Are you kidding?" Kirk asked with a smile. "The Amazonian plain, where the first automated module is already situated, and where the construct-crews are heading, is at its most clearest this part of the Martian year. The next season of wind storms isn't due for another month. I want to see this place, and all its beauty before the sandstorms arrive.."

Gary Mitchell heard Kirk's excitement, and fed off of it.

"You're still going to let me tag along, right?" Gary asked from his post.

"I don't know," Jim Kirk replied. "The last time we talked about going down there, you said you were really going so you could take a golf club and see how far you could hit a golf-ball."

"Ummmmmm, yeah?" Mitchell said. "Come on Jim, you gotta know that someday they're going to put a golf course up here. If I could get a picture of me, holding a wood, posing for a perfect shot, I could get a cover shot on Sports Illustrated."

Sulu agreed from his post, "We could put that in your media profile. I'm talking mega-Q rating rise if you could arrange that shot."

"Well," Kirk said, "I wouldn't press my luck. If the Al Gore Mars Preservation Society finds out you're up there hitting golf-balls, we might find ourselves involved with a PR nightmare."

"Commander Mitchell, who is going to take the pictures?" Sulu asked.

"I was going to have Jim take them," Gary said, "but I doubt he will now. No bother, my camera has a 15 second delay on it."

Daystrom came over to where Kirk was sitting in the command chair.

"Yes Doctor," Kirk said, "can I help you?"

Daystrom looked at the Spock unit, on the left arm of Kirk's command chair.

"I was wondering," Daystrom said, "If you could give Spock an exercise."

"Sure," Kirk said. "What would you like me to have it do?"

Daystrom thought for a moment about the preceding conversation between Kirk and Mitchell.

"Would you be so kind," Daystrom said "as to ask the Spock unit for its recommendations for the Mars landing party?"

"I don't follow." Kirk said back to Daystrom.

"Well," Daystrom said, "Someday a unit, much like Spock, may be called upon to designate which crew members would be necessary for a landing party. This is a perfect time to see what Spock would suggest."

Kirk nodded, "Very well, Doctor Daystrom, I will do what you ask." Kirk said.

With the Spock Unit on the arm of his chair to his left, Kirk pressed the inter-com switch that allowed him to interact with the advanced computer system, designed by Daystrom.

SPOCK: Spock reporting as ordered, (in the voice of James Earl Jones).

"Mister Spock," Kirk began to say, before realizing he was talking to just a computer-interface, "Spock unit, could you please give me your recommendations for augmented landing party."

SPOCK: Yes, Captain. I would select Ensign Tom Jenkins.

Kirk seemed befuddled. "Jenkins? He's just a two year cadet. Why would you have chosen him over Commander Mitchell or me?"

There was a brief pause.

SPOCK: Assigning non-essential personal is not logical. Ensign Jenkins' geological training specialty and atmosphere sciences are values. His grandfather designed the first Mars rover. These are qualities that make him more essential to the protocols of the mission; chronicling the historic nature of the mission, while having an understanding of the surface of the planet.

Before Kirk could respond, Mitchell did, and he wasn't happy.

"The planet is fricking red, that's all you have to know about it. Red and it has a lot of red rocks." Gary said to the Spock unit. "Hell, why are we even talking to you, you're just a fricking Xbox-3500 with vocal chords."

Gary stormed off and back to his post.

"Please excuse him," Kirk said to Daystrom. "He's just excited, we are all excited, having made it this far."

"No offense taken," Daystrom said. "Though, I do not believe the United Nations sent us up here to hit golf-balls with the taxpayer's money."

With that Daystrom headed up to the turbolift, and left the bridge.

"You know me Jim, I think Gary's full of hot air most of the time," McCoy said, "but that man, Doctor Daystrom, is a head case."

Kirk looked at McCoy and shook his head.

"Doctor Daystrom is a genius," Kirk said in defense of Daystrom. "I'm sure he understands the humanity of the mission." Then Kirk turned toward the Spock unit. "Spock unit," Kirk said, "please classify the inclusion of Doctor Daystrom on the mission to Mars crew roster, since we have already been trained on how to run your basic programming? Would he not be considered non-essential personal?"

There was a pause.

SPOCK: I have not been programmed to comment on such inquiries. Please direct this question to Doctor Richard Daystrom.

"Was that response entirely unexpected?" McCoy asked.

Sulu, who had heard the entire exchange, pivoted his chair to face Kirk and McCoy. "That is a peculiar response. I bet it has specific programming to prevent detailed questioning as to its operation platform."

McCoy nodded. "Maybe," McCoy said, "but if that thing is going to have access to our personal files, then we should be able to pull back the 'wizard's curtain' and see how it works too."

His point made, McCoy headed off of the bridge via the Turbo-lift.

Kirk looked at the Spock unit, then back to Gary.

"Let's go Commander Mitchell," Kirk said, trying to liven up the tension. "We have a date with the planet Mars."

Gary looked at Kirk with a slight look of anger in his eyes.

"Can I bring my driver or not?" Gary asked.

Kirk smiled. "You better believe it."

Two hours later, two Omega-class landing craft exited the Enterprise's hanger-deck, and headed down to the planet below. The human adventure, on Mars, had just begun.

_Continued…and very soon things are going to go sideways...can you say "Romulans?"_


	14. More than a Red Planet

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**More than a Red Planet**

Starring;

Brad Pitt as Jim Kirk

Vince Vaughn as Gary Mitchell.

Mila Kunis as Chekov

Kento Hayashi as Sulu

Guest Starring;

Naveen Andrews as Khan

and

Christopher Lee as John Gill

**Mars...**

The two shuttles, both launched from the USS ENTEPRISE, made perfect landings on the two temporary landing pads that had been landed on Mars two years previously by unmanned craft, in preparation of this day.

The Class-1 shuttles, as proof of the international scope of the United Space Agency, were constructed in the recently reunited nation of Korea. North and South Korea, after decades of strife, and mistrust, had united in 2020. By 2050, the country had become a productive country accepted into the new United Nations Charter.

The people of Korea were very dedicated, and very proud of their contribution to the space program, Kirk concluded after he sat in the passenger area and watched the sister shuttle set down nearly right beside the one he rode in. They were also superior technologists as well. He looked over to Gary, and flashed back to the scene in the Zero-grav chamber when Mitchell had vomited all over the drill instructor.

"Dude," Kirk said to Gary, "you're not thinking about throwing up are you?"

The sweat on Gary's brow was proof enough to Kirk that his friend Gary didn't enjoy any kind of crafts that dropped as fast as the shuttle had. Kirk often wondered how Gary had made it so far in the Space Program.

"I took some space-sickness pills," Gary told Kirk, "they haven't kicked in yet."

Kirk shook his head. "And you're the XO of an ultra-modern Starship?" Kirk asked in disbelief. "Give me a break."

"What do you mean? I can hang with you?" Gary said. "I'm just a little queasy that's all. I won't throw-up."

"Well, you better not," Kirk said with a chuckle. "Could you imagine what Daystrom would say if he found out the first thing we did on Mars was throw-up on it?"

"Shut-up," Gary said. "We just need to talk about something else and I'll be fine. Hey, just talk about women's breasts or something like that."

"Yeah, right," Kirk said with a smile, "I just got a message from Colonel Pike that the Enterprise is going to be re-fitted with the next generation of engines when we get back. Check this out," Kirk said lowering his voice, "we're going to use them to go to Alpha Centauri. And we're going to get there in just four weeks."

"You're shitting me," Gary said. "Can you imagine the amount of women who will want to bed down with the first men who make it to another star system?"

"I thought you had your eye on Chekov?" Kirk asked.

"Just keeping my options open, you know, keeping it real and all. You should take a look at Chekov and some of the other women on the Enterprise. I mean, shit man, you're the Captain. Can you imagine how much p****y you'll be able to get."

Kirk looked at his friend with a look of contempt.

"Is that all that matters to you? We're about to start exploring the universe; and sex is the only thing on your mind?" Kirk asked. "Someday you're going to find out that women are more than just walking sex toys," Kirk said with.

It was clear that the conversation was starting to cause the green hue in Gary's face to fade. Kirk's strategy of decoying his friend's nausea was working; even if it was sexist in tone. The shuttle was in process of setting down on the pad.

"Someday I'll settle down," Gary said with a smile. "Marry me a nice woman, build the white-picket fence, and have some kids so I can throw footballs with them; but not now!" Gary said. "My Q rating is going to shoot up higher than the moon, and I'm going to cash in with the babes. It's all part of my master plan. So, we're heading to another star system. I can't wait Jimmy, I can't wait." Then Gary became a tad more serious. "But if you're talking about the Star-drive," he said, "that is still experimental. I have read about Lea Brahms work and I'm not convinced."

Kirk shook his head. "Have you ever seen what she looks like?"

"No need to," Mitchell said as the he and Kirk stood up and started to head for the exit as the other passengers did. "Any one with the last name of Brahms is probably the product of two nerds, and probably looks like my eighth grade algebra teacher; crusty and old."

Kirk knew otherwise. "Yeah, you're probably right," Kirk replied, knowing full well that Brahms was quite beautiful; and far too classy for his horny friend.

Kirk and Mitchell walked down the boarding ramp. For being the first humans stepping on Mars, it just seemed like another shuttle landing. Thanks to pre-positioned sites, such as the two landing pads, some of the facilities were already covered by domes and had artificial air pumping inside of them. There were three large buildings, each large enough to house the landing team. Several food-pods, also sent in advance of the mission, were easily found. Land-rovers, both brought down via the shuttles, and operated on solar batteries, would be used to collect the food-pods.

The mission that the landing crews had, under the command of Lt. Commander Khan, was to apply the add-ons that had been sent up to Mars as part of a five year plan to not only build a colony, but to also prepare the base for Terra-Forming. The Terra-Formers would arrive on Mars in just over a year, under the command of Dr. Frank Marcus. Marcus was the young genius, a brother to Carol Marcus (a flame from Kirk's past), who developed the complex constructs that would be built on the poles of Mars. They would exploit the large body of water that had been discovered beneath the surface of Mars, and use it to create a livable atmosphere with-in two or three years.

Life had indeed been found on Mars, in the large body of water beneath the surface. But it was only single cell organisms that had survived beneath the surface of the world, guarded from the radiation of the sun. With the Earth reaching population heights never seen, it was decided by the United Nations to colonize Mars to further the human race into space, rather than to treat it off-limits in order to save its indigenous life forms.

The discovery of the Charles/Dennison Asteroid only underlined the importance of creating a colony off of Earth; it would guarantee man's survival even if an Extinction Level Incident were to strike Earth.

Kirk watched as Lt. Commander Khan put his team to work, nearly the moment they arrived. This team didn't have long to get this place up and running. They were all inside the large complex and were preparing for their duties. Kirk walked over to Khan.

"I wanted to say," Kirk told Khan, "that you and your team are doing great. I have no doubts at all that you will have this place ready to go long before the Lexington gets here."

Khan smiled. "Thank you Captain Kirk. I hope you have time to visit us again as well. I want you to come back see what we eventually accomplish here. And," Khan added as he reached down and pulled a putter out of his sack of personal items, "tell Commander Mitchell we will have a make-shift golf course up and running real soon too."

"Well," Kirk said with a smile, "I think you've just cemented our return visit."

The two men shook hands, and shared a common moment of respect. Both were unaware that not too long in the future they would be enemies for life; dare I say; arch-enemies!

-

Two hours later, both shuttles were piloted back up to the Enterprise. With the Colony-team in place, it was time for the Enterprise to head for the Charles/Dennison. As Kirk came to the bridge, he smiled as he saw Gary showing the photos that Kirk had taken of him hitting golf-balls on Mars.

"That one," Gary said to Chekov, as she held the picture "went seven hundred yards."

She obviously had no idea how impressive that was; in terms of golf.

"Is that a long one?" Chekov asked with a blank look on her face. "Do you the like really long ones?"

Gary did a double take; was that some sort of a sexual question? He decided not to go there; especially with Sulu now looking at him with a broad smile; his mind in the gutter with Gary's.

"You mean; is that far!?" Gary replied. "Honey, Tiger Woods, in his prime, might hit one four-hundred and fifty on Earth. Yes, that's long…I mean far."

"So," Sulu said, as he listened in, "as soon as we get back I'll send these to Sal and see if he can get them in Sports Illustrated." And then he added. "Especially these long ones," he added with a chuckle.

"That would be so cool," Gary said.

Then Chekov came across a photo of Gary throwing up in a trashcan inside the complex on Mars.

"That'll go good with your media file," Sulu said with a laugh. "The first human to throw-up on mars," and then both Sulu and Chekov laughed.

"James," Gary said to Kirk, "I thought you deleted that one."

Kirk gave in an innocent reaction. "Oooops."

-

**Earth…**

John Gill sat in his office on board his private airplane jet as it was taking him to a very important meeting in Colorado, USA. The image of Khan was on the screen of his monitor. The signal Khan was transmitting on was scrambled.

"I trust you have all arrived in one piece?" Gill asked Khan.

"We have," Khan said. "Everything is proceeding as you planned sir."

"Very good," Gill said.

Gill cut off the transmission and was quite happy with the progress that had been made. But little did Gill know that fate would play a very major part in what was to come. He had no idea the monster he had created when he created Khan. And the time was coming when John Gill would find out; but by then it would be too late to stop…Khan Noonien Singh.

continued..


	15. Bed Bugs

**STAR TREK  
"Friends"**

**Starring**

**Vince Vaughn as Gary Mitchell**

**Kento Hayahsi as Sulu**

**Alicia Keys as Guinan**

**Lindsey Lohan as Juliet Combs**

**and**

**Naveen Andrewsas Khan**

* * *

The USS ENTERPRISE was on its way to intercept the Charles/Dennison asteroid which was on a direct heading for Earth. The collision was still four years off, but waiting any longer to act on it would compound the problem. The mission, on paper, seemed simple. The asteroid was nearly four miles in diameter, and composed of, mainly, iron. The composition of the asteroid would seem to suggest that it had been created about the same time the rest of the solar system had been. How something this large had not been seen before baffled some of the more prominent scientists on Earth.

The voyage from Mars to Charles/Dennison would take nearly a month. And because of the distance, and planetary orbits, the particle beams which had powered the Enterprise's trip to Mars would not be available this time. Instead, the mission depended on the experimental Ion/Magnetic Drive, and the stored battery power, which had been collected with special solar filters while the ship had been traveling to Mars.

When the United Space Agency decided to build the Enterprise ship, and the rest of the Constitution class starships that had been budgeted, it was decided that the best thing to do would be to throw the kitchen sink at it. The Particle Beam drive, which used beams to accelerate and decelerate the ship, had been used while on the way to Mars. The Ion/Magnetic Drive, built solely in China, would power the trip to the asteroid and back to Earth.

The maximum speed either technology could reach was nearly 10% to 15% of light speed. But, a third technology, not included on the Enterprise, was the highly experimental **A**nti-**M**atter **D**rive which was in final prep, and was the creation of Dr. Leah Brahms. When the Enterprise returned to Earth, it would be easily refitted and the A.M.D. would be part of that refit. The maximum speed of the A.M.D. was not known, but the calculations were mind boggling. It would allow the ship to go distances only once dreamed of, perhaps as much as 60% the speed of light…or, as they would find out…MORE!

* * *

Commander Gary Mitchell and Lt. Sulu sat together at one of the dining tables located in Ten-Forward. It had long been decided that with mainly young men and women manning starships, an adult setting was required for the moral, and stability, of the crew. There were actual real windows that offered amazing views of space. Because Ten-Forward was not only a dining hall, there was a fully stocked Bar.

There were modern games, pool tables, and even two bowling lanes at the far end. It was where the crew could let their guard down, and socialize. Ten-Forward was operated by a woman named Guinan. She was a very beautiful ebony skinned woman who owned two respected bars in the Chicago area, which many movie stars went to hang out.

But she also held a PhD in sociology, and was also a sex-therapist on the side. She stood behind the bar and was there to help the bartenders, but also, to keep a watchful eye on her customers; trying to anticipate their needs.

The dining hall had several customers, as did the Bar. Guinan decided to head over to where Gary and Sulu were sitting. Unknown to the crew, she was provided with very detailed files on every one of them. She 'knew' who they were even before she knew them. She brought two drinks with her on a tray. She also wore very strange head gear, which in this case, was head scarf wrapped tightly around her head, with diamond studs.

"Hello," she said to them both, with a broad smile. "My name is Guinan. As you know, this is the first night Ten-Forward has been open since we left Earth, due to finishing touches on the decor and kitchen area. Welcome, and please enjoy yourselves."

She placed the drinks down.

"Actually," Gary said, "I just wanted a beer, Samuel Adams if you would."

"We're still installing the fountains," Guinan lied, "but I think you might like this for now."

Gary sipped the glass of strange green liquid. He nodded in approval.

"This is pretty good," Gary said as it gave him a 'kick'. "What is it?"

She looked at his drink. "You know what," Guinan said, "it's just green. That's the best I could tell you."

Sulu had tried some. "I like it too," Sulu said. "Good thing I'm not on shift for another twelve hours. This has real alcohol in it; doesn't it?"

"I thought real alcoholic beverages weren't supposed to be stocked on board the Enterprise," Gary added.

"I won't tell if you won't tell," Guinan said with a warm smile, and coy look in her eyes.

"My kind of girl," Gary said, with a twinkle in his eyes as well.

Guinan thought about his personal file and the kind of women Gary had been in trouble with in the past; and there were quite a few.

"I doubt it," she added with a grin.

Guinan headed back to the Bar. She actually had tons of bear, but up to now, no one had liked the green stuff, and she had a whole case to unload. At least she had two dependable customers; suckers.

Gary looked to Sulu.

"So, did your buddy Sal answer your e-mail?" Gary asked. "Did he like the pictures?"

Sulu smiled. "Why yes," Sulu said, "he did. In fact, when we get back, he wants to meet you. I think you're going to get that S.I. cover you've always wanted."

"You know," Gary said, "I owe you for this. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, yes I think there is," Sulu replied. "There is a guy who works in engineering that I've been flirting with but he's too shy. I've seen him looking my way and…"

Gary cut him off. "Wait a moment," Gary said. "You want me to hook you up... with another guy?"

"Yeah; why not?" Sulu came back with. "If I had told you it was some sexy gal instead, I was chasing; would you be asking me that?"

"Ummm," Gary said, "you have me there. I'll see what I can do, but don't be expecting too much."

Sulu smiled. "Actually I'm only kidding. I just wanted to see what you would say."

"What for…" Gary asked.

Sulu thought for a moment, and then continued.

"Commander; some people say they accept alternate lifestyles, you know, mouth tolerance. You're one of the very few who seems to believe in the concept of it," Sulu said. "And I thank you."

Gary and Sulu talked for nearly an hour; about life and social acceptance. The swapped stories of their love lives, conquests of the past and as the last few customers filtered away, they too went their separate ways to get some much needed sleep.

* * *

**MARS**

The first sandstorm hit the colony on Mars. Commander Khan, who had been given a promotion by his Star Fleet superiors back on Earth, ordered all work stopped, and everyone into the fortified bunkers. All seemed calm; but it wasn't.

Life had been, indeed, found beneath the surface of Mars; and plentiful in the underground oceans on the planet. The life forms that had been found were pretty much like the simple one cell organisms on Earth. But not all the life on Mars had been found. It was predicted there was much more would be found.

One such 'undiscovered' creature lived beneath the surface of the land. It thrived in the arid areas of Mars.

And as Ensign Juliet Combs slept, one of the creatures had made its way into her room. As it silently came out of ground, Ensign Combs was totally unaware.

The small life form looked much like a short and stumpy millipede; but of course, it wasn't, and that was too bad for the ensign.

The little creature, the size of a finger nail, made its way up the inside of her blankets. It went past her nakedness, and finally came out of the blankets inches from her right shoulder. It was able to wriggle up and on to her pillow. And as Juliet slept, the creature inched its way into… her ear.

Continued…


	16. Seeds of Rebellion

**STAR TREK  
Seeds of Rebellion**

The burgeoning colony on Mars was being pounded by a violent sandstorm, and had been for nearly two weeks. Sandstorms would become a way of life, for colonist on Mars before the Terra-Forming was completed three years later. Until that time, they would have to learn to endure the sun-blocking, eye blinding storms.

But there was more than just a sandstorm going on outside the complex. Sixty workers had come down from the Enterprise. There were maintenance workers, construction crews, computer experts, and a small medical staff. Commander Khan Singe had the crews ahead of schedule, but then, that all changed. It all started when Ensign Juliet Combs attacked two of her co-workers, killing them in their sleep, and partially devouring their bodies.

She was eventually captured, and put in the brig. Eventually sedated, she was brought into the sickbay where the colony's Doctor Boma, examined her body. Internal scans revealed a strange parasitic life form which had attached itself to Ensign Comb's nervous system. And, more importantly to the survival of the colony, it was determined that inside her saliva contained small, molecular sized versions of the parasites, that, when introduced into a new victim's blood system, would circulate into the blood and destroy the human host, and turning the human into a mindless, soulless, being, with only one reason to live; to infect other humans.

The two colonists Combs had 'killed' had come back to life. They attack mercilessly, and before all was said and done, only fourteen of the sixty workers were uncontaminated. The survivors had regrouped, and fortified the main complex structure. But it was only a matter of time before the infected colonist would break in and infect them as well.

Communications had been lost, but not only due to the wild sandstorm. The special communication's platform that could broadcast a signal that could penetrate the sandstorm cloud had been destroyed by the infected members of the crew and their uncontrolled rampaging.

There had been no way to contact Earth for help for nearly two weeks. But the storm was weakening. The regular radio complex, which was safe inside the complex, was now able to generate a powerful enough signal to penetrate the fading storm.

Commander Khan stood behind Ensign Gina Nasaki, who was operating the communication station.

"Will we be able to contact Earth?" Commander Khan asked.

"It would seem so," Ensign Nasaki aid. "We'll know momentarily."

* * *

At United Space Agency headquarters, in Daytona Beach Florida, worry had overcome the agency after contact had been lost with Mars nearly two weeks earlier. It had been determined that it could not have been due to the sandstorm only. Top advisors warned Colonel Christopher Pike that there had to have been some kind of mutiny. During the morning briefing, news had arrived that the colony was sending a signal. Pike entered mission control to monitor the communication with the colony.

Commander Khan's face appeared on the main screen of mission control.

"Commander Khan," Mission control Commander, Bob Wesley, said, "what the heck is going on up there?"

_Khan looked worried. "Something has happened," Khan said. "We have encountered a parasitic life form," Khan told them. "It has the ability to," before Khan could continue, a large noise could be heard pounding inside the complex._

"What is that pounding?" Commander Wesley demanded.

As the transmission continued, the United Space Agency was unaware that the signal was being monitored by John Gill, in his Australian lair, and by another man inside of a secret complex in Colorado.

_Khan continued. "Listen to me!" Khan said to Wesley, "The parasites enter a victim's ears, and soon takes over the mind of the victim. They can contaminate others by transfer of blood, or saliva. The infected person becomes nothing more than a mindless body, wanting only to infect others. We are the last left!" Khan said. "You've got to implement the emergency evacuation plan."_

What Khan was referring to were the two emergency shuttles that were housed inside the laser satellites that had been used to slow the Enterprise's approach nearly three weeks earlier. Each satellite contained one shuttle, which could be piloted down, via remote control, by mission control back on Earth.

* * *

John Gill, watching the situation transpire, did not like the turn of events. The parasites, as Khan conversed more with Mission Control, and the Chief Medical Officer, Beverly Crusher, caused the victims to spew nonsensical thoughts from the subconscious part of the brain, as just random words with no reason. Gill became more worried that Khan, were he to become infected, might reveal vital information to Gill's own goals. It was time for Gill to call in a favor. He reached out and picked up the receiver of a red phone on his desk. A voice answered on the other end.

"Are you seeing this?" Gill asked.

_"Yes," the voice replied. "I think we may both have a mutual reason to terminate the Mars colony."_

"I agree," Gill said. "Do what you must." Gill said.

* * *

**Colorado...**

Unknown to the United Space Agency, the United States, although a member of the new United Nations Charter, still had several clandestine operations off the official financial books of the government. One such organization was charged with assuring the survival of the United States at all cost. It was an ultra-secret organization called Section-31, and the man, who had been talking to Gill, a man named Sloan, was charged with carrying out the primary orders.

Worried that the parasites might find their way to Earth, Sloan activated a secret program that had been implanted into one of the Mars satellite's software.

* * *

**Back at United Space Agency Headquarters**

As Commander Wesley continued to converse with Khan, Dr. Crusher spoke in soft tones with Colonel Pike.

"We've got to evacuate those people," Crusher said to Pike.

"Doctor," Pike said, "what about the possibility they might already be infected, and bring those things back to Earth. I can't allow that."

"So, what are we going to do?" Crusher asked in an angered manner, "Are you going to leave them up there to die?"

Suddenly all communications with the Mars colony were cut off.

"What's going on?" Pike demanded of Wesley.

"Sir," Wesley replied, "An outside source has cut off our communications."

"How is that possible?" Pike demanded.

Suddenly the alert signals began to blare.

"What now?" Pike demanded.

Bob Wesley conferred with his men, and then he looked back to Pike.

"Colonel," Wesley said, "one of the Graviton-lasers we used to decelerate the Enterprise as it approached Mars is positioning itself, and is preparing to fire on the colony.

"On screen," Pike ordered.

The main screen switched to images being broadcasted by the sister Graviton-laser, showing the other one changing its orbital course.

* * *

**On Mars**

Khan watched as Ensign Nasaki tried in vain to reestablish communication with Earth.

"What's happening?" Ensign Nasaki asked. "Why won't they respond?" She asked Khan.

Khan knew why. It all added up.

"They're going to kill us," Khan told her, and the others. "They are worried that we are infected as well, and are unwilling to rescue us because of it."

There was more pounding as the infected crew members were making progress. It wouldn't be too long until they had made it inside the complex.

"What can we do?" One of the survivors asked Khan.

Four of the survivors, he already knew; they were plants like him. There was no reason to blow their covers just yet, and they were obviously keeping their parts secret as well.

"I can save us," Khan told them all. "But do not forget that they," Khan said as he pointed at the now blank screen, "Have betrayed us. From this day forth I say that we will make Mars our home, and when I mean our home, I mean that in all the ways it can be taken."

"We're not going to survive the night," Ensign Nasaki replied. "So what does it matter."

Khan stood strong, and projected his strong will. "If you swear your loyalty," Khan told them all, "I will see you through this night."

He had won them over. He would indeed save their lives. And as he prepared to do just that, he stared up at the United Space Agency emblem on the far wall. He would remember this day, and swore that he would make them all pay, back on Earth. For not only did the Space Agency cut off the signal, so had John Gill. Khan had tried to raise Gill earlier in the day, but his signal was never accepted. Khan vowed that from this moment forward, Earth would one day know; The Wrath of Khan.

Continued…


	17. Life Will Find You

**STAR TREK  
PHASE ONE**

The USS ENTERPRISE crew were just two days away from their rendezvous with the Charles/Dennison asteroid. Constant scans were now being performed to decide the best course of action to take. Several civilian engineers, and geologists, had come along for the mission and were tasked with finding the best way to neutralize the threat the asteroid posed to Earth.

Captain James T Kirk had just handed the bridge over to the night crew. Lt. Commander Chakotay had proven very admirable with his handling of the night crew, and would someday make a fine Captain himself, Kirk concluded. But for the next couple days ahead, Kirk and the primary crew would be put to the test, as the asteroid dilemma was dealt with.

Kirk settled down on to his bed, and read again the private Email he had just received from Earth. It was a very special letter sent to him by Carol Marcus. She was the woman who he had met, thanks to constant shoving by Gary, and who Kirk had got along with quite well. The letter conveyed the news that she was pregnant.

They had both taken precautions for two weeks or so that they had seen each other, intimately, but just as the guy said in that decades old dinosaur movie years ago; life will find a way. But the rest of the letter left Kirk feeling like an outcast.

Carol Marcus, who was an aspiring scientist, was open and frank in the letter. While she loved her time together with Kirk, she was a realist. Kirk's career would take him into deep space, and quite possibly on missions that he might never return from. With a child in her future, Carol had decided to center her career on Earth. And, perhaps selfishly, she didn't want to have to split time with Kirk when it came to caring for a child.

And more to the point, she said in the letter, she didn't want their child, a boy the initial scans showed, to grow up idolizing his father and following him into a career that would take him, just like Kirk, far from home, and possibly to an early death.

The letter concluded with her asking Kirk to please understand her concerns, and do the right thing, and stay away from her and the child. She would never ask for support, in any way. The best thing, Kirk could do, would be to let her raise the child as she saw fit.

"As she sees fit," Kirk whispered to himself.

James Kirk's own childhood had been stressed by the early death of his mother, when Kirk was just nine years old. His father, Joseph, a hot shot pilot as James was now, took young James from base to base all through his childhood. And due to his father being away all the time, James was raised by a constant supply of baby-sitters at first, and then his uncle when James got older. He never resented his father for subjecting Kirk to that kind of rootless life, but sometimes he wished that he had lived the normal kind of family life. But that was in the past.

Carol was right, Kirk knew. She knew that James was living the dream of a life time. James Kirk could change his career, perhaps become a civilian pilot. But so much of his life had been dedicated to this point, that if he were to leave it, it would be challenge to find another career he would like as much as this one. He hated to admit it, but Carol was right. She needed a husband, and now a father for her child, not a starship captain, in her and the child's, life.

James Kirk folded the letter up and put it away inside a small box where he kept important letters he had collected through-out his life. In fact, the letter James placed Carol's message on top of was the one informing him that his father's aircraft had been shot down over a warzone. Another letter was congratulations letter of his being accepted into the Space Program. That letter had come from his old friend Thomas Hooker, who was a friend of his father.

* * *

Later, in Ten-Forward, James Kirk sat with Dr. Leonard McCoy at one of the booths toward the back of the bar area. Gary Mitchell had been Kirk's friend for years, but James had found himself bonding with McCoy. The two had only met in the past year, while training for the mission. McCoy, a white man who came from the south, having been raised by a very wise black woman named Gretchen Bennett and her husband Wilbur, had a subtle charm. McCoy was twelve years older the Kirk, and had barely qualified for the mission after the intense training. There were rumors that McCoy had a slight drinking problem which cost him his marriage.

In fact, Kirk suspected that Colonel Pike had been the one who swept McCoy's physical training numbers to the side. Pike, another one of Kirk's mentors, had issues with Kirk's friendship with the wild and crazy Gary Mitchell. Pike saw McCoy as a calming force in the young Captain's life.

"What a past couple weeks," Kirk said as he stared down at the bottle of beer in his hand. "First, the destruction of the Mars colony, and now I find out I'm going to be a father to a child I can never see."

"Well," McCoy said, holding his own bottle of beer, "they say when it rains it pours."

Kirk nodded as he downed some of beer. A strange look came over his face, as the beer made its way down his throat. "Whew," Kirk said, "that beer has a pretty good kick."

"She's right," McCoy told Kirk. "And I think you know it Jim."

Kirk nodded.

"From what I know about you," McCoy said, "you're that kind of guy who wants to touch the face of God, and then move it out of the way so you can see even more. She knows that too," he added, "and she knows that unless you are out there, pushing the limits of your knowledge, living on the edge of this dream of yours, you would lose that charm we all feel about you."

"Gee," Kirk said with a smile, "you would have made a fine psychologist."

"Well," McCoy said with a slight chuckle, "it would have paid a lot more than this gig, that's for sure. Will you be okay?"

Kirk thought for a moment. "When I read the letter, and got to the point where she said she was pregnant, for a moment or two I was the happiest man alive. And then, when she gave her reasons as to why she wanted to raise the child on her own, I found myself looking at my life and how I projected myself. All that you just said a moment ago," Kirk said to McCoy, "is true. But now I will know, in my heart, that apart of me will exist, through my child, and I feel good with that."

"Look," McCoy said with a smile, "who knows what the future will bring. She may decide to tell him someday, and perhaps by that time, the James Kirk I know today, will be open to that kind of new chapter of his life."

"Don't tell Gary," Kirk said to McCoy. "The moment that kid was born, he'd take one of the shuttles and go back to Earth, and kidnap that kid. He'd finally have some at his own maturity level to hang out with."

McCoy chuckled.

* * *

**Earth...**

In a small bar, located near Daytona Beach Florida, Tom Garak sat in the back of the smoke filled dining room, alone. His contact was due to arrive at any moment. Garak sipped on a glass of bourbon, and then saw his contact making his way through the crowd of pool players, and dart throwers.

His contact's name was Benjamin Finney. He had flunked out of the starship Captain program, but was retained as an engineer for other projects of the United Space Agency. But Finney was a flawed man, who blamed his being kicked out of the starship Captain's program on none other than James T Kirk.

During a fire-fighting training session, Finney had tried to move the team he and Kirk were on through an area of the exercise that was deemed contaminated with radiation; when another route was available. More interested in the time element, fighting a fire that really was not that important than just a test of patience inside of a fire-fighting suit, Finney's move had "cost" several lives, including Kirk's. James Kirk had fought him the entire way, warning Finney that the fire wasn't that dangerous or important to the training.

Eventually Finney was drummed out of the Captain's program for other issues as well, but the fire-fighting exercise stuck in his craw the most.

As Finney approached the table, Garak looked down at the several shots he had already had the bartender send over. As Finney would drink, he would open up about the terrible things he saw wrong at the Space Agency complex.

"You always get here before I do," Finney said as he sat down.

Finney passed Garak an envelope.

"Is this what I think it is?" Garak asked, as he watched Finney dive right in, and started gulping down the shots.

"My daughter works at the med-lab," Finney said with a smile. "Those are the paternity test results on Carol Marco's pregnancy. Jimmy Kirk, no-less superman to the rest of the world, is going to be the father to a bastard child; how ironic, I would laugh if I wasn't so sick of his shit."

"You are to tell no one, neither you nor your daughter," Garak said with an icy tone in his voice. "If you do, and I will know if you did, I'll see to it that the both of you live out the rest of your lives in fear. And trust me;" Garak said with a warm and friendly smile, "I am a man of my word."

Finney gave the impression of a man who was scared. And he was.

**The Enterprise…two days later**

Two shuttles headed away from the Clark/Dennison asteroid, which the Enterprise had arrived at the previous day. The civilian Geologist who was charged with the effort to eliminate the threat of the asteroid to Earth, a British man named Patrick Merriweather, stood beside Captain Kirk's command chair on the bridge of the USS Enterprise.

Lt. Uhura, in contact with both shuttles, pivoted her chair to face Kirk.

"Captain," Uhura said, "Both teams are reporting success with planting the charges."

"Great," Kirk said, "tell them to get aboard as soon as they can."

Lt. Nadya Chekov calibrated the time devices of the charges with the Enterprise's own internal clock.

"We are in synch with the charges, Captain," Chekov reported.

"Very good," Kirk said to her.

Doctor McCoy, who stood on the opposite side of Kirk's chair from Merriweather, looked over to the famed geologist.

"Doctor Merriweather," McCoy said, "Just how can you be sure that the nuclear charges will not just create a shower of car sized debris, each heading towards Earth, rather than one massive one?"

"Good question," Merriweather said to McCoy. "The blasts, seven in all, should be enough to smash the asteroid into, as you say, car sized chucks of rock. But we are far enough from Earth that the orbits of these smaller pieces of the asteroid will be slightly altered enough, that most of them will miss Earth."

"This time, at least," Gary said from his post. "Won't they pose a threat to Earth on subsequent orbits around the sun?" As Gary asked his question, he noticed that Chekov was looking at him, with a look of awe on her face. It was just what Gary wanted; to look smart in front of the sexy Russian Navigator. Though, to be sure, Sulu had written the question on a small index card, which Gary then memorized over the past three previous days.

"Again, that is a good question," said with a real smile. "Captain Kirk, I must say, you're crew is surprisingly knowledgeable in this area."

Kirk eyed Gary for a moment. "Yeah," Kirk said as he noticed the index card sitting on Gary's controls, "you and me both."

"Well," Merriweather said to them all, "Mr. Mitchell is quite correct. However, most of the rock debris will have their course, and time, adjusted enough that ninety percent of it will pass by Earth. The other ten percent will pose a threat, but Starfleet has been given permission by the UN to use the antiquated Star Wars missile defense system to target some of the more, bigger, pieces while far enough out into space to cause no harm. The other six percent of the asteroid is deemed not a true concern, and will provide quite a meteor shower for two nights."

"What about the rest of the Asteroid debris," Sulu asked. "Won't it pose a threat some other time?"

"The next time that debris will be anywhere near Earth, fifty-thousand years would have passed. If our world hasn't advanced enough by that time to stop it, then we're out of luck."

"Putting things off for future generations to pay for?" McCoy asked. "Isn't that what they did with the economy? And look where that got us."

"Sir," Uhura cut in, "the shuttles are aboard."

Kirk looked at the digital clock, which was above the main screen, as it counted down the time until the charges would be detonated. And if all went according as planned, in just ten hours, Charles/Dennison would be exploded, and the Enterprise would then head back to Earth.

**Earth...United Space Command** (don't worry fans..."Star Fleet" will be used down the line...just hang in there)

Colonel Pike looked at the latest photographs taken of the Mars Colony compound. The Graviton Laser, high in Mars orbit, had managed to destroy most of the structures. There was no sign of life, but the pictures were limited in that they had been taken from one of the orbiting satellites. It was doubtful anyone had survived. But there was something just as important to Pike. Just who had countermanded the Space Agency's control of the Graviton Laser, and then used it to kill Commander Khan and his fellow colonists?

With that question foremost on his mind, Pike ordered a complete diagnostic done on all the systems. If the Space Agency had been compromised, and obviously it had been, Pike wanted to know by whom, and why.

**Earth…John Gill's secret lair off the coast of Australia**

John Gill sat silently alone, and depressed, in his office, inside the massive lair built inside an island off the cost of Australia. He had given Section-31, usually an adversary, permission to destroy Khan, who was Gill's number-one operative planted in the Space Agency.

Now that Khan, and seven other operatives were dead, Gill would have to go about selecting a new DNA enhanced clone to train and prepare to follow in Khan's place.

But then, as he started to consider a new course of action, the dedicated frequency, scrambled so that only Gill could receive, began to beep. Only one person had access to the dedicated frequency other than Gill, and it was none other than Khan Noonian Singh.

Could it be; was Khan still alive?

**The Enterprise…**

Gary Mitchell was on his bed in his quarters. Kirk had ordered him, and the other Primary Bridge officers, to take a two hour rest, at the behest of Doctor McCoy. The stimulants McCoy had been pumping them with were beginning to lose their effectiveness so sleep was an order.

And so Gary had come to his quarters. As he sat on his bed, he thought about his life, and where he was, and how he loved his career. His friends were tolerable of his antics, even knowing that he could be an ass at times. But then there were times, alone, when he was scared of himself. And, as he sat in his bed, he was scared; it was one of those times.

Gary Mitchell had taken on a new habit, and it was one that worried him and kept to himself. He could take a deck of cards, as he had just done, shuffle them, and then one by one flip them over. That alone was no great task. But being able to know what the cards were before they were revealed?

"Ace of Hearts….ten of spaces…four of diamond…two of clubs…jack of hearts…" and on and on Gary went. And, as he had accomplished a few nights earlier; he got them all right. Gary knew he was changing...and what ever he was becoming terrified him.

Continued…

Check-out a great new story by Hideout Writer. It combines magic with Star Trek. What if someone with magic abilities decided to use that power to create a Star Trek TV show? Its called **STAR TREK: THE PRODUCTION**...look for it! It is written as a Harry Potter/Star Trek The Next Generation crossover...


	18. To Whom I Serve

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**To Whom I Serve**

Starring;

**Brad Pitt as Jim Kirk**

**Vince Vaughn as Gary Mitchell**

**Karl Urban as Leonard McCoy (recast)**

**Mila Kunis as Chekov**

**Morgan Freeman as Richard Daystrom**

**and the voice of James Earl Jones**

**as S.P.O.C.K.**

* * *

The crew of the USS Enterprise cheered loudly as explosions rocked the Charles/Dennison Asteroid. Kirk and the bridge crew were on their feet cheering as well at the success of Dr. Merriweather and his assistants, who had joined them on the crew as well.

"You did it Doctor," Chekov said to Merriweather, as she stood next to the scientist by her post on the bridge. "This is indeed a moment in Earth history that will not soon be forgotten."

"Thank you," Merriweather said to her.

Gary slapped Kirk hard on his back, and then handed his friend a Cuban-cigar, already lit. Mitchell also handed McCoy a cigar.

"Promise me this isn't going to blow up in my mouth," McCoy said with mock suspicion.

"Well, it won't explode this time," Gary said, "maybe on another occasion, like when Jimmy's kid is born." Gary was shocked that neither Kirk nor McCoy laughed at the comment. "Hell, I'm only kidding," Gary replied, though somehow, deep in his mind, he felt as if it was a statement of fact.

Kirk shot a look of anger at McCoy, who was the only person on the ship who knew about Carol's pregnancy. McCoy shook his head, quietly denying he told Mitchell, and Kirk believed him.

"Very funny," Kirk added with fake laughter at Gary's words.

As the cheering continued, Dr. Richard Daystrom, the creator of the S.P.O.C.K. unit came over to where Kirk stood. McCoy then drifted over the engineering station to converse with Scotty and Sulu. Gary Mitchell then drifted over to Sulu's station, and sat there and began to converse with the Russian Navigator. It was clear that Gary and McCoy cared very little for Daystrom, and it was obvious as they both scattered upon the arrival of Daystrom.

"You should be happy, Dr. Daystrom." Kirk said, puffing on a cigar as he spoke to Daystrom.

"A very monumental success," Daystrom agreed, in very matter of fact manner. "However, I wonder, could you please let the Spock Unit use the ship's sensors to scan the effectiveness of explosion, and the aftermath. It would be a good test, on a purely scientific level."

"Sure," Kirk said with a smile.

Kirk sat in his chair, and pushed the button that activated the Spock Unit.

_Spock, reporting as ordered._

"Spock," Kirk said, "Can you please scan the debris field ahead and determine the success of our mission."

_The Charles/Dennison asteroid's mass has been altered. I can detect no sizable remnants large enough to pose a threat to Earth in the near future. However, on April 15th, 52089, fragment C/D-14580, will impact in the southern hemisphere, and will cause and Extinction Level Event. _

"Which I'm sure would have been taken care of long before it happens. In fact," Kirk told Daystrom, "I read somewhere that the Valiant, when she comes on line in a year or so, will be given the task of taking out any large threats that remain from this asteroid."

"Indeed," Daystrom said with a smile, "I happen to know a little more than you do on that matter Kirk. The onboard interface, currently with the designation of M-5, on the Valiant will carry out the aspect of that mission, with the Captain only along as an advisor."

"Oh," Gary said as he was sitting at Sulu's post, having overheard that part of the conversation, "I'll be sure to write that date down on my calendar."

Daystrom looked at Gary, with very condescending eyes, and shook his head. "You don't understand what this means, and it scares you." Daystrom said to Mitchell. "You're just another toy-soldier, wound up and marching around with orders from your superiors."

Kirk was surprised to hear the frank words coming from Daystrom. Kirk was hoping Gary would let it slide, but he didn't.

"You're calling me a toy-soldier?" Mitchell asked. "Men, and women, will never go along with the idea of serving beneath computers."

"Do you really believe that?" Daystrom asked. "This ship is pretty much already run by computers; I know, I built them. Without them, this mission would have failed. There will come a time when the only need for a human on a starship will be for; maintenance."

"Yeah," Mitchell said with a fake smile, "well, for now, we tell them what to do. They serve; us. And that is the way it should be. They are not superior to us, simply because they're faster."

"No," Daystrom replied. "But they don't come with all the baggage we, as humans, are wired with. They can do your jobs far more efficiently, and without all the human politics involved."

Then the Spock unit 'spoke'.

_Doctor Daystrom, I have no desire for humans to serve under my command._

That statement from the Spock unit seemed to surprise Daystrom, Kirk noticed; which was quite interesting. It was common knowledge, Kirk thought to himself, that this computer's so called 'profile' had been built up from data queues based on the actual synapses of Daystrom's own mind.

It was a controversial procedure developed by the legendary neurologist; Doctor Deanna Troi. For Daystrom to be surprised Spock's statement, seem to suggest that the Spock unit had grown beyond Daystrom's attempt to have his creation follow in his footsteps. Kirk, at that moment, gained a little more respect for the Spock unit.

"Spock," Daystrom said to the device, "wouldn't it be more logical for mankind to devote his time to other less risky ventures, especially since space isn't his domain in the first place."

"That's nonsense," McCoy said before Spock could reply. McCoy had also come over to join the exchange. "That's like saying man shouldn't sail the seas because he isn't a boat, or fly because he isn't a bird. What's next, man shouldn't paint because his hands are not pencils.

_One does not paint with pencil shaped hands, Doctor McCoy. I shall endeavor to send you data on the several different techniques of painting, including oil, water color, finger…_

"Stop already," McCoy said. "God I hate computers," McCoy said as he walked away and rejoined Sulu and Scotty, who were discussing a new fencing book Sulu had downloaded the night before.

Kirk switched off the Spock unit.

"Well," Kirk said to Daystrom, "the Spock unit performed up to specs, and that's all that matters here."

Daystrom nodded to Kirk, and then headed toward the exit, and left the Bridge.

"That guy is a nut," Gary said to Kirk. "Colonel Pike would never let a starship be commanded by a computer."

"For now, I agree," Kirk said. "But someday, they will try. I just hope it's long after I've been put out to stud."

"Now that," Gary said, "is what I'm talking about. Could you imagine the kind of stud farm an astronaut would be sent to?" Gary said, lost in his thoughts about such a place.

"I was just speaking figuratively, of course," Kirk added.

"Yeah, sure you were," Gary said as he headed back to his post.

The ship would remain in the general area for two to three days, and take more scans of the debris, and then would head back home. Kirk had hoped the Enterprise would be diverted to Mars, to search for possibly survivors. But the Space Agency denied the request, having deemed that no one had survived the malfunctioning laser bombardment from space.

As James Kirk looked at the view screen, which displayed the remnants of the asteroid, he couldn't possibly know that in the very near future, his life would be affected by one of the remnants of the asteroid in a most serious way; and someone very close to him would die!

Continue..don't forget to read **STAR TREK TIME KEEPER**!


	19. Double Back Red

**(one year has passed since the last issue...things have changed...a little)**

**STAR TREK  
PHASE ONE**

**Double Back Red**

**USS Reliant on final approach to Mars…**

Commander Gary Mitchell, the XO of the Reliant walked through a corridor on his way to the bridge. Recently promoted Nadya Chekov caught up to him; as she too was on her way to the bridge.

"Hey there," Gary said, as he looked over Nadya, and as usual, undressing her with his eyes.

"Commander," Nadya said, "I enjoyed our dinner in the galley last night."

Gary smiled at her; he was finally making progress with Nadya. But on advice from Jim, he had taken it slow, which for Gary Mitchell, the playboy of all playboys, was a miracle.

"I received a message from Lt. Sulu," Nadya went on to say, "the Enterprise is about to arrive in the Alpha Centauri star system."

Gary nodded in agreement.

"I know," Gary said, "I got a message from Jim Kirk too. I replied and I let him know that I'm still pissed off that you and I got assigned to the Reliant for this return trip to Mars; we missed out on history making."

Chekov smiled.

"When the Enterprise gets back, and we rejoin her, I'm sure we will get to make history with our friends at some future point.

Gary nodded his head.

"Oh, I'm not mad about not going with them, well actually I am because I was hoping that by going my action figure would start selling more," Gary came back with, "I'm actually more upset that the tin-can,(the SPOCK unit) thanks to Daystrom's whining, was made the official first officer in my absence."

Chekov giggled.

"I wish I were there too," Nadya said to Gary. "The new star-drive propelled the Enterprise several units of warp speed so that the journey to Alpha Centauri only took three weeks! Can you imagine that? Faster than light speed?"

Gary liked her enthusiasm, but, it was a bit overboard for his taste.

They entered the bridge of the Reliant. The Captain of the USS Reliant, Captain Terrell, a man of African descent, sat in his command chair and listened to the standard reports being given by his bridge grew as the Reliant entered orbit of Mars.

"Mr. Mitchell," Terrell said to his XO, Gary, as he came onto the bridge with Nadya, "ship's status please."

"We're looking good sir," Commander Gary Mitchell reported as he looked at the various console arrayed around the upper ring of the bridge.

Captain Terrell nodded his head. "Gary," Terrell continued, "How long until we can send the marine detachment down to surface and get an assessment of what's left down there?"

"Not as quick as we think," Gary reported. "The dust storms down there are not at their peak, but they still pose a nuisance. The shuttles will need to be fitted with the special filters, so," Gary concluded, "two, maybe up to four hours sir."

"Alright," Captain Terrell said. "But when I go down there with them to make my own assessment, I want our best pilot taking me." Terrell said in the direction of Chekov.

"Understood," Mitchell said.

Chekov had definitely proven herself to the Space Agency, as well as with Captain Terrell.

Back on Earth, she had become somewhat of a hero to the Russian people. Her Q rating (stardom popularity measure) was actually higher than Gary's, which irked him as well. On a personal level, Gary still hadn't 'cracked' her shy exterior, but would one day; or so he kept telling himself.

As Gary looked at her from where he was on the upper ring of the bridge, Nadya turned back and looked at him, and she smiled her innocent smile, which always turned Gary on, and somehow he knew, she knew.

But as their eyes met, Gary felt a strange sensation come over him. For a brief moment, his mind was lost. He saw strange images, and more importantly, he saw a woman grabbing at her ears, as blood poured from them; screaming in agonizing pain. The woman in total horrific pain was Nadya Chekov! Then, just as fast as it came, the vision was gone. But if anything, to Gary, it felt more like a memory; a yet to happen memory.

He turned away from her, and sat at his post. This wasn't the first time a vision such as this had flashed before his mind. And like all the others, he had to push the strange images away. Something had slowing been happening to Gary in the past year, and he shared this feeling with no one else, not even James Kirk, who was his best friend. Gary didn't want to burden his friend with concern, because Gary knew Kirk would put aside his career to help his friend.

Gary left the Bridge and headed to the hanger-bay to make sure the shuttles were being properly prepared. He did this because it was his duty, but mainly because he wanted Nadya Chekov to come back; alive.

So…reader…what had happened to Khan and the first set of colonist a year ago? Let's recap…

* * *

_Those first colonists on Mars, under the leadership of Commander Khan and had been sent to the red planet to build the first stage of the future colony, and prepare it for the eventual terra-forming project. _

_Although the orbiting laser did indeed destroy the first colony; it had not been a tragic accident, as the public had been told. _

_Not even the crew of the Reliant knew the entire truth which was that most of the colonists had become infected with parasites that ended up controlling their minds. Truth be told that when the United Space Agency found out, Colonel Pike had considered using the laser platform to do just what the platform ended up doing; but before Pike could make the tough decision an unknown 'wildcard' (Section-31)gained access of the Space Agency's system, and ordered the platform to decimate the colony._

_An investigation into the security breach of the Agency's computers found encrypted, deep seeded programming through-out the entire computer system of the Space Agency._

_Some of the greatest minds were hired, including the greatest computer scientists of the time, including Richard Daystrom, and Milton Perry, to clean up the mess and install new lines of codes, a task that took over seven months to complete._

* * *

Next time…the USS Enterprise explores the Alpha Centauri star system and encounters…THE GORN.


	20. Welcome to the Dance

**STAR TREK:PHASE ONE**

**Welcome to the Dance!**

* * *

**USS ENTERPRISE**

**Alpha Centauri system**

The life of a starship commander wasn't only cheers from the crowds, and adoring women. Well, it was like that some of the time, but usually, while on a mission, it was the life of a loner.

While the ship's science crews were studying the planets of the Alpha Centauri star system, there were five planets in fact, Kirk found himself getting caught up on the true aspects of a captain's life; paper work.

The bed inside his quarters had four laptops strewn about it. A bare-chested Kirk was lying on one side of the bed while the computers were on the other side. One of the computers was dedicated to the engineering section's data, one was displaying current tactical read outs, one of them was his private computer, with a letter from Gary Mitchell currently displayed, and the other was routine administrative stuff that a captain had to be made aware of.

The SPOCK unit's wristband interface was on the bed as well, right where he had left it. Kirk was taking a few moments off from his work and was engaged into a chess match with Spock. Special gaming lenses were fitted on his eyes, almost like the old contact lenses, and displayed the game board even when the eyes were closed.

James watched intently as a white knight, with sword and all, rode its horse towards a common soldier, and then hacked the soldier's head off with the sword. The words CHECK MATE were displayed. Kirk had won the chess game, again. It was his third victory in a row, against Spock, and Kirk really wasn't that good at Chess.

"Spock, are you letting me win?" Kirk asked.

_No Captain, I am not._

"Jim," Kirk said, "Call me Jim."

_It would be inappropriate for me to call you James while you are in command of a starship that I serve on._

"Well," Kirk said as the chessboard was reset, "you asked me to help you act more, well, normal? That's one sure way, Spock. Calling someone by their first name will go a long way, believe me."

_I shall endeavor to keep that in mind._

"Now, stop changing the subject," Kirk said as he took the lenses off to take a break for the game. "What are the chances that I could defeat you three straight times at chess."

_The odds are two hundred-seven thousand, four hundred fifty two point seven against your accomplishing that feat._

"Exactly my point," Kirk said. "You're playing as if there is something bothering you, distracting you from your game." Kirk started to read some of the data on the Admin laptop.

_That would be a humanoid conundrum; I am not human._

"And yet, I have defeated you three straight times," Kirk came back with.

There was a pause.

_Captain, can you describe for me the sensation of running?_

Kirk pondered the question for a moment. "Well," Kirk said as he looked at some of the duty roster changes, "As you feel your heart beating inside of you, you can feel your body pass through time and space. You can see things before you eventually pass behind you. It's an activity most humans refrain from, unfortunately, but running is very healthy and very interesting to experience. Why do you ask?"

_Someday, soon, my memory will be down loaded into an Android construct. The first thing I wish to do, once the transfer is completed, is to run._

"Will you be able to really experience the movement?" Kirk asked.

_It is hard to say. I can show you seventeen different formulas that prove moving from one point to another could, theoretically, be impossible. And yet, with all that, the very proof motion is possible is my very being here._

Kirk smiled. Having this kind of discussion with the Spock unit was interesting. But as the mission had progressed, since leaving Earth, Kirk became aware that the Spock unit was asking a very eclectic list of questions, such as the one it had just asked about; running.

"You know," Kirk said, "you keep asking me these questions. Does your memory catalog them, and the answers, for the amusement of Doctor Daystrom, for when we get back?"

_No Captain…_

"Jim," Kirk cut in, "Call me Jim."

_No, Jim, I do not keep a catalog of such questions. I have learned how to shunt some of my data, and conversations, into memory alcoves independent of Doctor Daystrom's retrieval systems._

"I see," Kirk said. "Is that wise to do? What if he was to find out you were hiding data from him?"

_My memory core would be wiped, and I would, essentially, start all over._

"Well," Kirk said, "let us keep this conversation to ourselves. I don't want your memory erased, Spock. In fact, with Gary gone, and McCoy so busy with the new medical interns, you're about the closest thing I have on this ship to a friend."

Kirk thought about Spock's answer. And the more Kirk thought about it the more he was sure that the Spock unit purposely lost the games so as to have Kirk start the conversation in the first place. The Spock unit was functioning in a most peculiar way, Kirk concluded, with a smile.

_Jim, you may want to go to the bridge._

Suddenly the red alert klaxon sounded. Kirk pressed the com button on his desk.

"Bridge," Kirk said, "what's happening up there?"

The voice of Commander Chakotay, who was Gary's temporary replacement as co-XO (S.P.O.C.K. being the other, answered, "Sir, we are detecting three unidentified objects heading in our direction."

"I'm on my way," Kirk replied.

Kirk grabbed a shirt and put it on. Then, before he left his quarters, he reached down and picked up the Spock wristband interface. Kirk had started to wear it nearly two weeks earlier and now felt strange without it on. He strapped it on, and then headed for the bridge.

* * *

Three strange objects were approaching the USS Enterprise, and were being displayed on the main viewing screen as Captain Kirk entered the bridge. First officer Chakotay, a native-American, vacated the command chair.

"Status report," Kirk said as he walked over to his chair, eyeing the screen as he did.

The three ships were, primarily, oval in shape with very jagged exteriors. The tactical read out on the side of screen pegged the ships at being nearly a forth of the size of the Enterprise.

"They are still on an intercept course," Chakotay reported, "and will be here in five minutes."

At that moment the turbo-doors swooshed open and Doctor McCoy entered the bridge.

"Bones," Kirk said, "what are you doing here?"

McCoy shook his head, "Why in the hell do you keep calling me Bones?"

"Didn't you ever see that show Bones when you were a kid?" Uhura asked from her post.

"Thank God, no," McCoy said.

"Well," Kirk added, "I don't call you Bones because of that. I call you Bones because Colonel Pike told me it was the nickname they had for you when he was your platoon leader back in the day."

"Oh," McCoy said, "I know where the name comes from. I just don't care for it."

"Well," Kirk said, "I'll try not to use it again; but if I do?" Kirk added with a grin. "I hope you still love me."

"Oh shut-up," McCoy said. "Now, please tell me you're not about to shoot those three ships out of the sky."

"No," Kirk said as he sat in his chair. Chakotay headed to the ops station on the outer-rim of the Bridge. "You know me," Kirk said. "But," he added, "I won't hesitate to go there if they do."

_That is a logical statement, Captain Kirk. Even the good doctor must admit to that…_ the Spock unit said.

McCoy looked to the Spock unit, upon hearing its statement.

"Now you look here, you tin-plated microwave oven. You're just a hyperactive calculator in my eyes. You have no sway in our human interactions." McCoy bristled.

Kirk, wanting to avoid a nuclear war of words between McCoy and Spock, which seemed to be an eventual outcome each time they conversed, pivoted his chair and looked over to Uhura.

"Can you make contact with them?" Kirk asked.

"I can try," Uhura said.

Chakotay looked over to Kirk.

"Captain," Chakotay said, "according to the readings, the lead ship is scanning the Enterprise with what looks like a targeting system of some kind."

"Spock?" Kirk asked the device mounted to the left side of his chair, as well as the interface on his left arm.

_I am scanning the data, and Mister Chakotay is quite right about the scans. Though, I do not detect any sort of hostile intent._

"Then why are they scanning our most sensitive areas?" Sulu asked from the helm.

"I would too," Scotty answered for Kirk, from his auxiliary engineering post on the Bridge. "In fact, isn't that what Ensign Wesley Crusher is doing as we speak?"

They all looked to the young officer who was manning the navigation/weapons station on the upper ring.

"Yes," Crusher admitted. "I just thought it was standard procedure."

"Jim," McCoy chimed in, "they may have mistaken our scan as hostile."

Kirk nodded in agreement. "Cut off the scan," Kirk said to Crusher. "I know this is our first time encountering alien craft, but from now on I want all stations to go through me before initializing any scans, or communications. This way, if things go wrong, I can face the music. In essence, that is what I am being paid to do."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Sorry sir," Crusher said. "I was just doing what I thought was right."

"I know, and you did it correct." Kirk added. "Now," Kirk said, turning his attention back to Uhura, "What about the Universal Translator, is it working?"

It had been decided by many futurist that some kind of computer technology would be employed by other space going cultures. With that reasoning, it was thought that mathematical matrixes could be used to formulate translation protocols.

"They are receiving our transmissions," Uhura stated.

"Well," McCoy said, "all we have to do is wait until their computer and our computer, put their minds together."

_Computers, I must point out, do not have minds, Doctor McCoy. If you are so inclined could you please look inside of the standard operation manual of my system, on page two-thousand three hundred and twenty two, paragraph fourteen, you will note that my sub-routines, while augmented with…_

Before McCoy could respond with some harsh words, which he was about to, Uhura cut him off.

"We are receiving a visual communication!" Uhura said.

The excitement was expected, Kirk thought to himself. The first communication with an intelligent life form not of Earth was about to happen. Once again, the USS Enterprise was rewriting the history books.

The view of the approaching ships faded and revealed the image of an alien being. The lighting on the alien ship was barely visible.

The being had two eyes, each on one side of its three sided head. Fish, and other animal species on Earth, had the duo-set eyes on adjacent sides of their heads. The being was just staring back at them, its eyes blinking every so often, but not at the same time.

"This is the United Space Agency vessel Enterprise. I am Captain James T. Kirk, and I am in command of this vessel. We have come in peace, and I apologize if our scans were taken as an aggressive action. It was not our intent."

The image was suddenly removed, and screen reverted back to the image of the approaching ships. Then, before anyone could say anything, the lead vessel fired a bolt of energy which struck the Enterprise.

The lights on the bridge dimmed, and sparks exploded from a few of the stations. The ship's artificial gravity shifted for a moment, before coming back on line.

Kirk looked to McCoy. McCoy nodded, knowing exactly what Kirk's angered eyes were conveying; they were under attack. And, for the first time in human existence, they were in a fight with beings from another world.

The history books were indeed not only being rewritten by the Enterprise, but were being blown to pieces as well!

**Next time…ROMULANS!**


	21. Stormy Weather

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**Stormy Weather **

**Part One**

**The Alpha-Centauri system…**

* * *

The Enterprise had been damaged by the blast fired by the alien vessel. It was time for some swift action, Kirk thought to himself, or the Enterprise's return to Earth in one piece was in doubt.

"Uhura," Kirk said, "continue to broadcast our first signal. Maybe it is taking their translator, if they have one, longer to decipher our language."

"Captain," Scotty said, "the first blast has affected some of the thruster configurations, nothing major. But I can't guarantee she'll hold up against anymore blasts like that one."

McCoy, who had a tiny ear-set piece set in his ear, came over to Kirk's command chair.

"No significant casualties, Jim," McCoy stated. "A couple radiation exposures; nothing my staff can't handle."

Kirk nodded, "We got lucky," Kirk said. "We might not get so lucky next time." He shifted his attention to Chakotay. "What are the alien ships doing now?"

The three alien ships were in station keeping near the Enterprise, and unmoving.

Chakotay looked at the data on his screen. "They are just sitting out there, sir, no doubt trying to ascertain how much damage they did."

Kirk nodded. "Perhaps, or maybe they are picking a better, more sensitive target on my ship to shoot at."

"Captain, they aren't attacking," McCoy interjected, "which means maybe we don't have to retaliate."

"Excuse me doctor," Chakotay said, "they attacked us. If we don't show them some kind of backbone they might consider us easy game."

Part of Kirk knew that Chakotay was right, but McCoy was right too. The aliens may have stepped over the line, but the damage they inflicted was minor.

"Uhura, is there any progress on making contact with our friends out there?" Kirk asked.

Suddenly; Chakotay cut in.

"Sir, six more alien craft approaching from the fifth planet in this system," Chakotay said, "and they are not of the same design."

"On screen," Kirk said.

The view screen switched from the three ships that had already engaged with the Enterprise to a view of six totally different looking ships. The new ships were unlike the oval ships of the first group of alien vessels. These new six were very elegant looking, and, if one looked closely enough, resembled the frame of a prehistoric pterodactyl.

* * *

**Mars:  
**  
**The Reliant was in orbit of the Red Planet.**

A shuttlecraft was dropping quickly through the atmosphere. The blowing sandstorm made it very difficult to see anything, as the shuttle descended downward. The pilot, Lt. Tom Paris, had trained for months in the desert sandstorms in the great African deserts east of the Sudan. But none of his training had prepared him for this much wind disturbance.

The passengers, including Captain Terrell and Lt. Nadya Chekov and two security officers, held on to their seats as best they could. Thankfully they were all strapped into their seats. But although it made them safe, it didn't make the insides of their stomachs anymore calm.

The rattling noises of the confined passenger cabin contributed to the nervous feeling they all had. But their training at the United Space Agency facility in England had prepared them, somewhat, for this kind of constant shaking. But the major difference between training in England, and actually landing in a sandstorm on mars, was like comparing apples to oranges. It was THAT different.

Captain Terrell would go down in history as the first African-man to command a Constitution-class starship. The position had not been handed to him at all. He competed against some very greatest officers of the time including Kirk, Green, Garrett and even Gary Mitchell, his acting Co on this mission, and currently in command of the Reliant while Terrell was heading down to the planet. Unfortunately, the Perry evaluation , created by numbers expert Milton Perry, chose Kirk above all others and that was why he got the Enterprise; and all the press!

The main reason Terrell was even going down to the planet was due to the D.A.T.A interface, which for this mission, establishing a status report on the condition of the first, and eventually destroyed Mars colony, was third in command behind Terrell and Mitchell. The Data interface also had a collateral duty of assigning landing parties. And due to Terrell's past positions in engineering, and familiarity with the tech, the Data found it most logical that he go down to the planet, with Chekov. Terrell had worked on many of the old systems which were the backbone of the first colony. He could have assigned someone else, but Terrell also wanted to get off the ship and 'do' something which required more than just sitting in his command chair signing status reports.

Chekov, too, had much experience in the old tech, being that most of it was Russian origin. That was why she had been selected to accompany the Reliant on this mission to Mars.

Terrell knew that neither Chekov nor Mitchell really wanted to be on this, what would be, for them both, return mission to Mars. But no one chose their fate, or orders, as they all well knew. And just as in the previous century, a sailor, in this case an astronaut, went where they were told to go.

"Chekov," Terrell said to her, his teeth chattering as he did, "I want to thank you. I know you'd rather out there with the Enterprise and discovering new worlds. It may seem they will get a lot of glory, but I promise you, this mission will prove remarkable as well."

She smiled back at him. She gave the Reliant's captain credit for trying to put a good spin on such a mundane mission. But she knew he was right. If they could make progress with putting a colony on Mars, perhaps, someday, it would inspire large cities on Mars, and with that, the lessening of overpopulation on Earth. She chuckled to herself. If she was lucky she might get a school named after her. And then…she set the ship down.

Suddenly the ship made a thud sound as it came to a rest on the landing platform of the smashed Mars colony. Terrell and Chekov, and the security team, put their environmental suits on and prepared to depart the shuttle.

* * *

**On Earth**, Colonel Pike sat in his office. A signal had come that the Reliant's landing crew had landed on Earth. The last time he was monitoring a Mars mission, the Laser platform was taken control of by some outside source, and then was made to fire on the landing party, who had been infected by some unknown Martian parasite. Since that time, Pike ordered a total redo of the computer system, which was over seen by Richard Daystrom and Martin Bishop.

Pike stood up and left his desk and entered the main control center that was in constant contact with the Reliant. Due to the sandstorm on Mars, communication with Terrell and his landing party was impossible.

* * *

**Off the coast of Australia**, in his island lair, John Gill could only watch tactical read outs that were being tracked by his people. The United Space Agency had been very successful weeding out the 'bugs' in their systems. But John Gill didn't need to have any real time information from Mars to know that Khan had, at least not long after the incident on Mars, survived.

Gill stood up and walked over to the large observation post in his office and stared out at the now completed Botany Bay. It, too, was a Constitution-class starship. But Gill's ship had been modified, and very soon, it would be launch in an effort to show the new United Nations that they were not the only major force on Earth.

Continued…and oh yeah, they are coming; ROMULANS! But these aren't your dad's Romulans…no sir!

Don't forget today's latest issue of **STAR TREK: TIME KEEPER**!


	22. The Numerical Advantage

**Star Trek: Phase one**

**Numerical Advantage**

**Alpha-Centauri System…**

The USS Enterprise found herself in the middle of a potential conflict between two different outer-space alien factions. It was a shame that much of human exploration had led to battle, and many times, between more than one vested parties. It appeared to Captain James Tiberius Kirk that the exploration of space would, unfortunately, follow along that same path for mankind.

The damage done to the Enterprise by one of the three oval shaped space ships had been minor. The blast had knocked out some of the thruster controls of the Enterprise, but there was no loss of life, which was more important to Kirk, at this point. And as the three alien ships were motionless, a second group of six alien craft, which looked totally different, and with strange appearances that invoked the image of some of earth's birds of prey, now closed in on the Enterprise.

"I don't like the looks of this at all," McCoy stated, as he stood to the right of Kirk's command chair.

Scott chimed in, "It's almost as if they're fighting over us."

_Spock; Although that is a worthy observation, engineer Scott, logic suggests that both factions are in a contest that started near the general location of the unidentified object orbiting the fifth planet of this system._

"Well, whatever," McCoy said, "I think we should just get the hell out of here."

"I agree doctor," Kirk said, "Mr. Sulu go ahead and…" he continued to say, but he was cut off.

Suddenly, first officer Chakotay spoke from his ops post.

"Captain," Chakotay said quickly, "the three oval ships that attacked us are moving back towards us."

At that moment Uhura spoke from her post.

"Sir," Uhura reported, "I am receiving and audio signal from one of the six ships from the second group. It is translated and they are telling us to change our course towards them and that they will protect us from the," She paused, "they call the aliens from the oval ships the Gorn."

Captain Kirk was about issue an order to Sulu, and then McCoy cut him off.

"Be careful Jim," McCoy said to Kirk, "the Gorn attack didn't damage us very badly, and for all we know their attack was a misunderstanding. Now if we suddenly move towards the second group, we will be appearing to ally ourselves with them, which could open a can of worms for years to come, and in the here and now, justify another attack from the Gorn ships."

_Spock: That is sound logic Dr. McCoy; there is still hope you can become a logical and ordered member of human society._

McCoy was about to go off on Spock, but Kirk cut him off.

"I understand the situation," Kirk said, "but, as of now, we have no other choice. Spock what do you think?" Kirk asked.

_Spock; as I just indicated, Captain Kirk, I concur with the Doctor. It would be wise to have a command discussion about the course of action to be taken. I suggest that this meeting among yourself and your senior crew should not last longer than two hours and fifty minutes, at which time a logical decision could be made._

"Well," Kirk said to Spock and McCoy, "we don't have that kind of time. Mr. Sulu, plot a course towards the Birds of Prey and engage."

"Yes sir," Sulu replied as he followed Kirk's orders.

The Enterprise pivoted slightly and, at best sub-slight speed, headed towards the Birds of Prey. The Oval ships followed, and were now closing in on the Enterprise.

"Sir," Chakotay said moments later, "I am detecting a build-up in one of the oval ship's weapons plat-form, they are firing at us again!"

The view screen changed to show the closing oval ships. The one in the middle fired its energy weapon again! A burst of red energy streaked out from the oval ship, but miraculously a strange green hued translucent energy bubble appeared around the Enterprise, shielding the Enterprise from the blast.

"How did that happen?" Kirk asked.

Chakotay looked at the data on his screen, and then he turned back toward Kirk.

"The energy shield is being projected by one of those," he searched for the right word and then went with it, "Birds of Prey," Chakotay reported.

"They're protecting us," Scotty said, "That has to be good."

"For now," McCoy added ominously.

Five of the Bird of Preys streaked past the Enterprise and engaged the oval Gorn ships, exchanging volleys of energy blasts as they did. One of the Bird of Preys altered course, and came to position alongside the Enterprise. The Bird of Prey was roughly the same length of the Enterprise, but more massive.

"Captain," Uhura said excitedly, "we're receiving a visual and audio transmission from the Bird of Prey."

"On screen," Kirk said.

The instant the alien's image came on the screen, Captain Kirk, and the entire bridge crew who saw it as well, knew that their known theories of humanity and history had just been obliterated. Although the alien wore a helmet over part of his head, it was clear that the alien was... human.

* * *

**The Surface of Mars**:

A violent red sandstorm swept across the battered remnants of the doomed colony. Lt. Nadya Chekov was holding one of the new life signs detectors, a device which was called a tricorder, looking for any signs of life.

She looked over to Captain Terrell, who she could barely see through the sandstorm, and shook her head in a negative motion. There was no sign of life, however, they were aware of the effects of the sandstorm, and that it could have been causing false readouts. Terrell, with the two security men behind him, pointed toward the door of one of the large warehouse structures in the distance.

The landing party of four made their way towards the warehouse, struggling to stay on their feet as they walked through the windblown sand. They reached the door, and the two security men used all their strength and were able to open the door. They held the door open, letting Terrell and Chekov enter, and then they followed them into the warehouse, closing the door as they did.

The sound of the violent sandstorm could be heard on the outside, but the inside of the warehouse was surprisingly clean, and tidy. Several rows of tables with benches, which were for eating on, were still set in perfect formation, and the lights were even working as well.

Chekov, determining with her tricorder that the air was breathable, gave them all thumbs up, and then she took her helmet off. Terrell and the two security men did so as well, and the hissing sound of their helmets was like a chorus of snakes.

"The air filters are still working," Terrell said as put his helmet down on the table nearest them. "That's a good sign."

Chekov was about to say something when she saw, over in the far area of the warehouse, in the window, a figure looking in at them from the outside.

"Captain," Chekov said pointing at the window.

Terrell looked toward the window, and saw the figure as well. The person was wearing some kind of cloth mask which was wrapped around their face. Suddenly the person in the window turned around, and walked out of view.

"Who was that?" Chekov asked.

"I don't know," Terrell said. "But headquarters said nothing about any survivors."

"What do we do?" one of the security men asked.

"Well," Terrell said, "I don't like surprises, "So, I say we get the hell out of here, for now, and tell them to send a search party with better numbers."

It was clear to Chekov that Captain Terrell was rattled.

"I'm with you sir," Chekov said.

The landing party put their masks back on and opened the door to leave. Once they were outside, and prepared to head back to the landing pad where the shuttle was, they saw that they were not alone at all. Nearly two dozen humanoid figures, wrapped in the heavy cloth wraps, which were dark in color, stood between them and where they had to go. It was clear to Captain Terrell that neither he nor his landing party would be leaving so soon.

Continued…Khan vs Gary Mitchell!

STORY CONTEST!...hey, are you an artist? I need a new kind of Romulan ships...totally different from what we know and would be for this story. You will get "Romulan ship created by YOUR NAME" credit everytime the ship appears in an issue...send me a PM if you're interested...


	23. We Push On

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**We Push On...**

* * *

**_Previously…_**

_"Captain," Uhura said excitedly, "we're receiving visual and audio transmission from one of those ships that look like some sort of bird of prey."_

_"On screen," Kirk said._

_The instant the alien's image came on the screen, Captain Kirk, and the entire bridge crew who saw it as well, knew that their known theories of humanity and history had just been obliterated. Although the alien wore a helmet over part of his head, it was clear that the alien was; human._

Even though the alien began to speak in what appeared to be an unfamiliar language, it was obvious to Kirk and the others on the Enterprise's bridge that some of the words were not as alien as they seemed; they had a ring of Latin to them. The audio translation began seconds after the alien began to speak.

"I am Praefectus'alae Gnaeus, in command of this scouting party," the very strong voice said, "though we have shielded your vessel from attack, it would be wise for you to put as much distance between yourselves and the Gorn. To stay in the general area would be to do so at a great risk to your lives."

"I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise, we are explorers," Kirk said, "and we do not wish to cause offense to either you or the Gorn. We thank you for the assistance. But can I ask you," Kirk added, "From what world do you hail?"

The Romulan's expression remained stone cold the entire time.

"These matters can be discussed if future encounters are to come," the Romulan answered. "For now, I suggest you return to your star system, and to your home world called… Earth."

The Romulan flashed a slight grin, and then the signal was cut.

The implications were right there for all to absorb. The Romulans knew of Earth, and knew that the Enterprise had come from it. Who were these aliens and why were they speaking a cousin language to Latin?

The ships, which Kirk would refer in his logs to as a Bird of Prey, sped away, and headed back toward the ongoing battle between the Gorn and Romulan ships which was now moving away from the Enterprise at great speeds.

"How could that be possible," Sulu said from his post. "Some of those words were Latin."

_Spock: Captain; 63% of the words spoken by the Romulan commander had direct translation to Earth historical context. The odds that such a language, in this case Latin, devolped on an alien world are..."_

"Please don't give us the odds," McCoy said, then he looked at Kirk, " So what now Captain; do we go back to Earth?"

The bridge crew all looked to the Captain. As with any ship, the Captain was not only the commander but he was also the heart and soul of the entire crew. It was from him they drew strength and direction.

"No," Kirk finally replied. "We push on. We just don't go back home simply because we're the new kid on the block," Kirk said to them all. "We all knew the risks, and yet we all signed up for the same gig. Plot a course for the fifth planet in this system," Kirk said to Ensign Crusher. "And then engage," he said to Sulu.

The Enterprise banked left, and then headed for the fifth planet of the system.

* * *

**EARTH**

Carol Marcus held a bottle and watched as her young baby sucked on it. The child was a miracle in her heart, a feeling common with all mothers. The baby boy, whom she named after her older brother, David, looked up at her, eyes so innocent. She was very proud of her older brother David, and so named her child after him.

Her brother David was to head up the Terra-forming mission that was slated to go to Mars, after the second attempt to establish a colony, the USS Reliant, was successful with its mission.

Carol's fifth-story apartment was in San Diego California. Wanting to spend time with her new three month old infant, Carol had taken a leave of absence. She had requested that Jim Kirk stay out of her and David's life. It sounded cruel, perhaps, but Carol didn't want her son becoming a universe chasing starship captain like his father, Jim Kirk.

She sat in her small apartment and was gently rocking herself to sleep. Little David had already closed his small eyes and fallen asleep. It was nearly 10pm and Carol was happy at the prospect of getting a good night sleep.

As her eyes closed, Carol was unaware that across the courtyard of her apartment, and thanks to the drapes she left opened, two strangers looked at her from an adjacent apartment, with cameras and binoculars. A third man was supervising them as they took photos; his name was Garak. He smiled upon realizing they had found their target.

**USS ENTERPRISE**

**Alpha-Centauri system**

The USS Enterprise headed towards the fifth planet in the Alpha Centauri system. For whatever reason, the fifth planet had been, up to now, undiscovered by Earth's astronomers. With the Gorn and Romulan ships still engaged at a great distance from the Enterprise, Kirk took the opportunity to take the ship closer to the fifth planet to see what the two ships were fighting over. The Enterprise had detected, even before engaging with the Gorn, strange readings coming from an artificial source above the planet. And as the ship got closer, there was indeed something orbiting the planet.

"Magnify image," Commander Chakotay said from his ops station.

The distant image became larger as the highly sensitive observation equipment zoomed in. The crew, who had just digested the first meeting with intelligent alien life; were now confronted with a very strange feeling of pure wonder, at the sight.

What they saw resembled shining city in space. It was massive, as large as New York's Manhattan Island. Several structures, best described as skyscrapers in space, were lit up with all kinds of lights. A dome like structure encircled the large city in space.

"It looks like Vegas in space," McCoy said finally.

"A kind of spaceport I bet," Sulu said.

They could see several other ships in what appeared to be parking orbits around the large space port.

"Captain," Uhura said, "I'm receiving an automated message inviting us to come down to the city in space, it is called Thyscin; we are invited to enjoy the hospitality."

Chakotay was still suspicious.

"So, we go from a near life ending space battle," Chakotay said, "to a nice comfy space port; Sounds pretty hard to believe, to me."

_Spock: Captain Kirk; I would agree with Commander Chakotay. It would be wise to continue with caution._

"Gee," McCoy said with sarcasm in his voice, "it took an 85 billion dollar computer to come up with that kind of advice? I'm in the wrong business."

_Spock: I am only stating a logical observation, Doctor McCoy._

"Logical and obvious," McCoy said. "I bet you would tell us that…"

Kirk cut McCoy off.

"I'm going down there," Kirk said finally with a broad smile.

"Excuse me captain," Chakotay said, "I believe going down there is an unacceptable risk, especially with aggressive actions between the Romulans and Gorn taking place not far from here."

Kirk nodded. "Thank you Mr. Chakotay, your concern is dead on; as usual," Kirk said as he stood up out of his chair, "But I'm still going down there. You want to come with me Bones?"

"Stop calling me that," McCoy said.

"Well, are you coming or not?" Kirk asked.

_Spock: This course of action may not be wise, Captain._

"Look," Kirk said to them all, and mainly to a visibly upset Chakotay, "We are ambassadors from Earth, the first to get out here. This is part of our job description. Commander Chakotay, you are in command. Bones, you're with me, and so are you Uhura."

Chakotay sighed, and then sat in Kirk's command chair.

"Yes sir," Uhura said as she stood up and joined Kirk and McCoy as they headed for the Turbo-lift.

"Commander; Keep me posted," Kirk said as he and the others entered the Turbo-lift.

"I will Captain; just be careful," Chakotay replied.

"We will," McCoy fired back.

* * *

Soon...Uhura piloted the shuttlecraft out of the Enterprise's hanger deck; Following the directions of the Thyscin flight operations.

"It's almost like a dream," McCoy said, sitting with Kirk in the passenger compartment behind Uhura.

"You've never been to a spaceport before?" Kirk asked.

"No," McCoy said, "and neither have you. Don't you understand how important this is? Here we are, the first ship to ever leave Earth's system, and we're about to mingle about some giant mall in space. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It does," Kirk said with a nod of agreement. "I spent many nights as a young man wondering if there was life beyond Earth. I was a dreamer, and I bet most of us on the Enterprise are. But," Kirk added, "Now we are living it. Am I excited? You bet I am."

"Well," McCoy replied, "you wouldn't know it."

Spock's voice came from the interface on Kirk's wrist device.

_Spock; Captain, we are being scanned. It appears to be ordinary in nature._

"Would make sense," Uhura said. "We are newcomers."

Moments later, Uhura set the shuttlecraft down inside of a massive landing port. Alien vessels, many different makes and models, could be seen scattered about. And, more interestingly, several different kinds of life forms could be seen walking about, and interacting with each other.

"This is right out of a science fiction book I once read," McCoy said.

"You read books; how boring doctor." Uhura said, "It looks like something out of that old movie Star Wars."

Kirk chuckled.

"You're right," Kirk said.

Seconds later, Uhura pressed a button and popped open the boarding doors. And not to long after the doors had opened, Kirk, McCoy and Uhura stepped out of the shuttle, and followed the flow of walking traffic, and headed into the City in Space.

* * *

**Mars: The USS Reliant**

Commander Gary Mitchell was growing impatient. Captain Terrell and his landing party, which included Nadya Chekov, had not yet returned.

"What do we do?" Helmsman Lt. Kyle asked.

Gary Mitchell closed his eyes and saw the image, again, of Chekov screaming in agony. It was a vision that Gary had first seen, in his mind, several days earlier. But now, the fog of his memory cleared, and he now not only saw Chekov, but Captain Terrell in great pain as well. How he could see such visions, Gary did not know; but sometimes it frightened him.

"Prep the other shuttle," Gary said to Kyle. "I'm going down there to find them."

_**Continued…**_


	24. We Push On PART TWO

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**We Push On PART TWO**

**Space City:**

Captain Kirk could tell right off why Lt. Uhura was, seemingly, in sheer heaven. The large City in Space they had come to was, for all intents and purposes, a large mall. It didn't seem really important to her that they were in the company of, at least, fifty or sixty different sentient alien life forms, and literally hundreds of them, as the Enterprise landing party, Kirk-McCoy and Uhura, walked about the large facility.

Kirk handed them each something that appeared to be popsicles. He had given the strange looking alien, which resembled a walking pig and was selling them, some coins he had accidentally left in his shirt pocket.

"These are actually pretty good," McCoy said. "It has to be made from some kind of fruit."

"Doctor," Uhura said, "do you think it is safe to eat the food here? I don't know about you, but I've had some bad bouts of food poisoning in my time, and that was with food from Earth."

"I'm not promising it wont happen," McCoy said, "but as they say," McCoy said motioning to what appeared to be alien children walking with a parent and enjoying their own popsicles, "when in Rome…"

"On that subject," Uhura said to Kirk, "What about those Romulans we encountered Captain? Do you think they're from Earth?" She asked.

Kirk was about to reply when suddenly Uhura's eyes got wider.

"Look," She said excitedly, "a shoe store!"

Uhura darted away from McCoy and Kirk and into the shoe store.

"Some things never change," Kirk said. "Women and shoe stores, you gotta love them."

"Now that is a sexist comment," McCoy said as he shook his head. "You could be put on report for saying something like that."

"Oh shut up," Kirk said. "Look there, next to the shoe store, that looks like a bookstore."

"I doubt they're going to have anything you can read," McCoy said in a dry tone.

"Maybe not, but look at the book in the window display, towards the back," Kirk said as he pointed at the window.

"Looks like a book of star maps," McCoy said.

"It's strange, in the time that we have been here that we've just been accepted as just another alien species walking around a crowded mall. Makes you wonder why Earth has never detected this much life in space. Isn't it cool to find out that there is a variable sea of life out here?"

"Look there," McCoy said. "Those two over there are wearing the same kind of uniform the Romulan we saw earlier was wearing. They even have the same kind of helmets."

"Let's go over there and introduce ourselves." Kirk said. "I'd like to know where they are from."

* * *

**Mars**

Captain Terrell and Lt. Chekov were taken, by force, toward one of the other warehouses in the distance. Their captors said not a word. And when Terrell tried to speak with Chekov, to make sure she was okay, a fist was planted into the Captain's face, causing blood to be drawn.

Terrell could only guess as to who the hooded people were. But none of the guesses made any sense. Finally they were brought into the warehouse. Both Terrell and Chekov were forced to their knees. There was nothing Terrell or Chekov could do as the upper parts of their space suits were ripped apart, and then totally off, exposing Terrell's muscular torso from waist up, and Chekov's equally in shape body, including her small sized breasts.

"Who are you?" Terrell demanded.

Their captors all stood back, and spoke not a single word.

"Are you okay?" Terrell asked Chekov. He was really proud of her bravery.

"Yes sir, I am fine," she replied. "My Grandfather told me the stories of his Grandfather's beatings at the hands of Stalin's men. My family has endured far worse than this."

Terrell looked back to the silent group of hooded figures who had captured them. The blood that had came from Terrell's had dried.

"Would you please tell us what you want?" Terrell asked.

One of the captors stepped forward. This one also wore a dark colored Turban that covered the dark cloth mask that covered his face. The man took the Turban off, handed to another person. Then the man took off cloth mask; it was Khan. He had a very strong presence about him; it was a mixture of pride and anger. The man nodded his head and two of the captors behind Terrell and Chekov, lifted the two up to their feet. The man came over and stood very close to Terrell. Khan studied the black man's face.

"I don't know who are," Khan said to Terrell.

"My name is Captain Joseph Terrell," Terrell replied. "I trained exclusively at the California camp, so we would have never met, Commander. Khan," Terrell said. "Now listen. I demand you let us go before this becomes more of a problem than it already is."

Khan smiled. "You are in the position to demand nothing; Captain Joseph Terrell."

With that said, Khan took two steps to his left and stood before Chekov. Khan let his eyes look over her nice toned body, and her soft breasts. He then locked eyes with Chekov.

"I never forget a face," Khan said. "Lt. Chekov. Why are you not with Kirk?"

"The Reliant needed some crew augmentations," Chekov said. "I was assigned to the Reliant."

Khan nodded his head, and looked genuinely disappointed.

"Then I am sorry for you, Nadya," Khan said to her. "It is most unfortunate that someone who really wasn't supposed to be on the Reliant has to endure what is to come."

"What do you mean by that?" Terrell asked.

Khan gave Terrel a perplexed look.

"You mean, they didn't tell you what really happened up here?" Khan asked. "Now I am really upset for the both of you. I almost feel guilty."

Khan walked away from them and over to what appeared to be a fish aquarium. But instead of fish floating around, the aquarium had no water and was halfway filled with Martian sand.

"This aquarium," Khan said as he smiled and looked back at Terrell and Chekov, "is the home of an indigenous life form on Mars."

Khan reached down at the table where the aquarium sat and lifted up a metal rod and a hand held grasping device which was usually used on repairs. He opened up the aquarium and stuck the metal rod into the sand, and then the sand began to move. There was a creature inside the sand. Khan used the grasp and caught the creature by the neck. Khan lifted the creature out.

The creature looked somewhat like a scorpion on Earth, but much more intimidating. It was nearly the size of Khan's forearm.

* * *

Gary Mitchell piloted the shuttle down through the turbulence. The raging sandstorm made it nearly impossible to see. Behind him, in the passenger area, sat four security guards who were each armed to the hilt.

As the shuttle descended through the whirling sand, Gary could finally see the other shuttle parked on the pad. He expertly landed the second shuttle next to it. And then he had a vision; but this one wasn't of Chekov, it was...of a baby being butchered. And then Gary snapped out of it.

Continued…


	25. Pressure Points

**STAR TREK: Phase One**

**Pressure Points**

* * *

**Earth: San Diego.**

Thomas Garak hated this part of his job. Using leverage to make people he didn't even know do things that others wanted of them was not a pleasant job, most of the time. As he strolled up to the apartment complex that Carol Marcus lived at, he wished there was another way to what he was about to do; but there wasn't. He didn't like separating children from their parents, but he was being paid a handsome amount of credits to do just that.

Garak swept back his long mane of gray hair and entered the apartment complex and found the nearest elevator. As he stepped in the elevator, he thought about what he had come to do, and it didn't make him proud. The mother of the baby, Dr. Carol Marcus, would be a push over, especially after Garak used his leverage on her. The father of the baby, Captain James T Kirk of the USS Enterprise, was far off in space, and was of no threat to Garak; for now at least. And with the child soon to be in the possession of John Gill, Garak was sure that Kirk would never be a problem at all.

It was a cruel world, Garak thought to himself, finding ways to justify his actions. He was just a cog in the wheel, and did what he could in order to survive. And who could tell the future? Perhaps, one day, Kirk would have leverage on Gill so as to get his son back, which if paid well, Garak would handle for Kirk. But, for now, Gill had the power; and that power is what employed Garak.

Carol Marcus looked down on David, her baby, as she dressed him in a very comfortable outfit with a SUPERMAN "S" on the front side. She could definitely see Jim's looks on the baby. They shared the same eyes and nose, while David's mouth looked like hers. Sometimes she had second thoughts about asking Jim to stay out of their lives. But she was more afraid of raising a child with a father who would always be away on missions deep in space.

Her own father had been in the Air Force, and she remembered the solitary life her mother had lived. It was not the kind of family life she that Carol to raise David in. James could have fought her for custody, but he didn't. She respected James Kirk for that, and knew that deep inside, he knew she was right.

Suddenly there was a knock on the front door. She lifted little Davey, her nick name for David, and brought him with her over to the door. She peered through the spy hole and saw a man standing there. He looked pleasant, and quite elegant, with long straight gray hair streaming down his back. He wore a very expensive suit. He activated the com-unit that was part of the door's standard equipment.

"Can I help you?" Carol asked from her side of the door.

"Hello there," Garak said, "my name is Garak. And if you would be so kind to open your door, I have some very important information that may pertain to the life of your child."

Carol opened the door. "What do you mean?"

"May I?" Garak asked, reaching for the door knob.

"Yes, please come in," Carol said.

She opened the door and Garak walked in. He was amazed at how clean and maintained the apartment was. The apartment was quite expensive, and had a terrific view of the ocean. Garak looked out the window at the myriad of surfers who were doing their thing on the ocean shore below.

"You have a quite extraordinary place here, Miss Marcus," Garak said with a nice warm smile. "I envy you."

"Thank you," she said as she, and little David, looked at the visitor. "Now, I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"My name is Tom Garak," he replied. "You can simply call me Garak; plain and simple Garak."

"Great," Carol said as she turned to the kitchen. "I just made some fresh orange juice, would you like some?" Carol asked.

"Yes," Garak said as he sat down in the comfortable couch. "That would be very nice of you."

She brought over two glasses, one for him, and one for her. She set little Davey down in the crib near the couch. The baby had drifted off asleep.

"Now," Carol said, "how can I help you?"

This was the part of the conversation that Garak truly despised. At this point everything was pleasant, and quite friendly. He genuinely liked Carol Marcus, and under different circumstances, he would just enjoy the glass of orange juice and engaged in idle chatter about anything. But, unfortunately, that would not be the case.

Garak reached into his suit jacket and took out an envelope. He opened it and took out several legal forms.

"What are those?" Carol asked.

Garak read over them, making sure they were complete. Satisfied that they were, he looked over to her and smiled.

"These forms are for a Death Certificate, Miss Marcus. Luckily I have a friend who works for the state," Garak said, "and so I was able to obtain them quite easily. I have already filled out the first three pages, all I need for you to do is to sign the signature slot on page four, and initial the highlighted areas on pages one and two."

Carol shook her head. "I'm so sorry Mr. Garak, but I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know of anyone who has died recently."

"Oh my," Garak said as he sipped on his glass of juice, "I'm sorry for the confusion. You see, the person isn't dead."

"Now I'm really confused." She said. "What's going on here?"

Garak smiled at her, and then continued.

"The Death Certificate is for your child," Garak said motioning to the crib. And then the smile on Garak's face was gone, replaced by cold stare. "And you will sign the paperwork, Miss Marcus."

"Get out of my home!" Carol said, trembling with fear. "I'm not signing anything."

She attempted to stand up, but Garak reached out and stopped her, forcing her back down on the couch.

"Before you do anything rash," Garak told her, "I suggest you listen to what I have to say. Once that is done, I am quite certain you will sign the form."

Carol knew, at the present moment, she had no choice but to listen, if only to save her child. She nodded in agreement.

"I have a story to tell you," Garak said, as he sat back in the couch, sipping on the glass of juice as he did. "It is a story that doesn't quite have a happy ending. And," he added with his warm smile, "You're the most important part of the story."

* * *

Three hours later Garak sat inside a private speeding over the Pacific Ocean, on his way to Australia. He stared out the window at the darkened ocean below, and then he looked back at the seat next to him. Young David Marcus was fastened safely inside his travel seat, and was fast asleep.

* * *

**MARS...**

Gary Mitchell piloted the shuttle down through the turbulence of the Martian atmosphere. Captain Terrell and Lt. Nadya Chekov had yet to report their status, since coming down to the planet earlier. First officer Mitchell, fearing trouble had been found by the Captain and Chekov, mounted up a rescue party of four Marines and headed down to the colony to find them. The raging sandstorm made it nearly impossible for Mitchell to pilot the shuttle, but his years of training had paid off.

As the shuttle descended through the whirling sand, Gary Mitchell could finally see the other shuttle. It had been parked on the tarmac, and all seemed normal enough. In the distance he could also see the four warehouses that were there the last time had been to Mars, which had been nearly a year before.

Gary set the shuttle down on the tarmac, right next to the Captain's shuttle.

He shook the image of a dead baby's body from his mind, and then, for a moment, Gary closed his eyes, and then opened them. There was a strange pull inside of Gary's soul, and it was a force that was pointing him in the direction of the warehouse, which was just up the path, a hundred yards or so from the shuttle. The thick blowing sand made it seem further away, but also gave the warehouse a haunting appearance. Gary tried to shake the strange feeling, the strange flow of power that he could flow through his body, but he couldn't.

For over a year Gary knew that something was happening inside of his existence. He didn't like what he was becoming, and knew it would mean danger someday. But there was nothing else he could do for now but live. He turned to one of the four Marines.

"You stay here and guard the shuttle," Gary ordered.

"Sir?" the Marine, who was named Curtis Donovan replied. "But shouldn't I come with you and the others."

"Sir, we are trained for this," Sgt. Drayton Rounds said. Rounds was the highest ranking of the Marines. "You should stay here Commander Mitchell, we can handle this," Rounds added.

Gary shook his head. "No," Gary countered. "If Captain Terrell has been compromised, then I need to know right away. Just to follow protocol, Donovan will stay here." Gary said, knowing it was just a lie.

It was clear Sgt. Rounds didn't like the decision, but Gary Mitchell out ranked him.

Gary then looked to Rounds and the other two security officers.

"We'll split up," Gary told them. "I'll take the warehouse just ahead of the shuttle, you three go ahead and divvy up which ones you will take."

The three Marines decided which ones to take, and then one by one they each took a phaser rifle from the secured armory. Gary may not have been the best when it came to G-force simulations, but he was one heck of a shot on a target range. But Gary knew, deep inside, he would not need a weapon at all; his mind was more powerful than a mere phaser rifle. And if any harm had come to Chekov, he would kill anyone who was involved, and enjoy doing so.

**Inside the warehouse:**

Chekov could only watch in sheer terror as two of Khan's men held Captain Terrell down, on his stomach, on one of the tables. Khan held the strange scorpion looking creature with one hand, and then with the other, he slid the teeth of a pair of tweezers he was holding in the other hand inside of what appeared to be the creatures birthing canal.

Terrell tried to shake his head.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Terrell asked. "Men," he said to the two who were holding him down, "I am ordering you to let me go!"

Khan flashed a warm and charming smile.

"Captain, save your breath," Khan said. "These people swore their allegiance to me the moment the United Space Agency abandoned us to these creatures."

"What are you talking about?" Terrell demanded.

Khan gently removed the tweezers from the animals birthing canal, and blood spilled all over the table, some of it splattering on Terrell's face, which was just inches from where the blood landed. A tiny version of the creature was on the tweezers. It emitted some kind of audible cry, no doubt for its mother.

"Let him go!" Chekov demanded finally. She had remained silent through the entire ordeal thus far.

"Oh, I will," Khan said to her with a smirk on his face. "And then I will be doing this to you, Chekov. So, pay attention."

Khan angled the tweezers toward Terrell's head. The men holding down Terrell forcibly held his head down to one side on the table.

"These are pets, I might add," Khan said warmly to Terrell. "They haven't been quite domesticated."

"Please Khan," Chekov pleaded. "We were just following orders. They didn't tell us anything!"

"I don't doubt you," Khan said. "I'm just using these creatures as recruiting tools for my cause."

* * *

The Marine who was left behind at the shuttle, Curtis Donavan, sat in the pilot's seat of the shuttle, as ordered by Commander Gary Mitchell. The sandstorm was still howling outside the shuttle. Because of the thickness of the blowing sand he had lost track of the three other security officers, and Commander Gary Mitchell as well.

* * *

Sgt. Rounds was by himself, and hunkered down behind a wall that was near one of the warehouses. The sand was howling about, and the various signs that were posted nearby, or were nailed into the side of the building, were making clanking noised. He pulled out a device and pressed a combination of numbers on its small keypad. The device had a small screen and, in seconds, the face of John Gill appeared.

"Have you located Khan?" Gill asked.

"No," Rounds said. "The commander split us up."

"Listen to me, and listen to me well," Gill said. "You are to kill Khan, and I don't care how you do it. It is in the best interests of our plans, and the world as well, that he and his associates from the first landing party do not make it off that world. If you must risk your own life to insure this, then you will. Am I clear?"

Rounds nodded. "Yes sir," Rounds replied. "If he is alive, he won't be much longer."

* * *

After setting the adult creature back inside of the aquarium, Khan opened the teeth of the Tweezers. The tiny creature tried in vain to hold on, but eventually it dropped off the tweezers and into the left ear of Captain Terrell. The tiny creature burrowed into the Captain's ear, causing a large amount of blood to squirt out, while also causing Terrell to scream in agony. The two men holding Terrell let the captain fall to the ground. They then turned to Chekov.

"No!" she pleaded as they came over and snatched her up from the ground. "Please Khan," Chekov screamed, "don't do this!"

Khan could only smile. "I really feel for you, Nadya," Khan said, as he admired her strong, taut body, and her small but well-shaped bare breasts.

"What will the creatures do to us?" Chekov asked, trying to delay the inevitable.

He pointed to Terrell, who was on the floor with a blank expression on his face.

"They burrow themselves down into the brain. At first it turned those from my landing party into nothing more than zombies, and they tried to devour us. Eventually, after holding out for as long as we could, they became very susceptible to suggestion, as will you and the Captain." Khan said.

He nodded to the two men and they dragged Chekov over to the table. Chekov screamed as loud as she could. And she watched in horror as the rest of Khan's group just stared and watched.

As before, as the two men held Nadya Chekov down, Khan reached into the aquarium and snatched the creature. He used the Tweezers again to remove one of its young, and then he put the Tweezers over Chekov's head and then let the creature drop down into her ear. She screamed in agony as the creature devoured its way deeper into her ear, blood squirting out.

But as her screams echoed through-out the warehouse she screamed in pain and she saw the door to the warehouse fly open. A person walked in; it was Gary Mitchell! The last thing she remembered was the look of pure evil on Gary's face, and his eyes; they were pure white. She lost conciseness.

Continued…


	26. Combustible Intuition

**STAR TREK; PHASE ONE**

**Combustible Intuition**

**Starring**

**Brad Pitt as Jim Kirk**

**Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy**

**Roger Howarth as Gary Mitchell**

**Mila Kunis as Nadya Chekov**

**Rosario Dawson as Uhura**

**and**

**Naveen Andrews as Khan**

* * *

The sandstorm on Mars was still howling outside of the shuttle in which Lance Corporal Curtis Donovan found himself guarding. The rest of the landing crew had left the shuttle to try and find Captain Terrell and Lt. Chekov. Corporal Donovan had been left behind. He sat in the cockpit of the shuttle and stared out the main window at the whirling sandstorm.

Then, without warning, as he was just biding his time, the main control panel came to life.

"What the…" his words trailed off as he could only just watch as the lights and panels began to hum to life.

Although he had yet to be trained on how to fly the new Omega shuttle model, he was still able to read some of the readouts. And it was quite obvious that he weapons platform was being accessed. The shuttle was preparing to fire and there was nothing he could do about it!

* * *

Meanwhile; Sergeant Rounds was still hunkered down near the warehouse he was to have been checking for survivors. But the screams coming from the warehouse Commander Mitchell had chosen to investigate changed all that.

He could see that other warehouse from his vantage point, and used his PADD to take control of the shuttle's weapons platform, so as to destroy and kill Khan and his followers, as so ordered by John Gill. He also knew there were two more of his men out looking at the other warehouses, and who could have even heard the screams, and were possibly investigating the screams. But Rounds could no longer worry about their survival, or his. If they all died in the blast, then they would have died in the line of duty, which is what every true marine trained for. John Gill had made it very clear that none of Khan's party, or Khan himself, were allowed to live.

Rounds looked at the PADD's small screen, at the warehouse, which appeared only as a large hulking construct via the image being relayed from the shuttle's own visual enhancements. Rounds knew that Donovan was no doubt trying to override his attempt to fire the shuttle's weapons, but the young Lance Corporal, Donovan, didn't nearly have the training Rounds had. Rounds armed one of the phaser turrets and prepared to fire.

* * *

**Space City orbiting the fifth planet in the Alpha Centauri star system**:

Uhura was still looking at the exotic shoes on display in the alien shoe store in the large Promenade section of the massive space city. Kirk and McCoy noticed two Romulans standing near them.

"Look there," McCoy said. "Those two over there are wearing the same kind of uniform the Romulan we saw earlier was wearing. They even have the same kind of helmets. They look very human to me."

"Let's go over there and introduce ourselves," Kirk said. "I'd like to know where they are from."

Kirk and McCoy walked over to two Romulans.

"Excuse me," Kirk said to the two Romulans who were seemingly enjoying the amenities as Kirk and McCoy were. "Can we have a word with you?"

The two Romulans were seated at a table and looked up at Kirk.

"Why do you wish to speak to us?" one of them asked.

"I don't know how to put this," Kirk said with a warm smile. "But I was just wondering what planet do you both come from?"

"Why do you want to know?" the other Romulan asked in a cold detached manner.

"Well," Kirk continued, "my friend and I come from a planet called Earth, and we…"

As soon as the word Earth left Kirk's mouth, the two Romulans stood to their feet and faced Kirk. They were both nearly a whole head taller than Kirk, and were obviously brought to attention by Kirk's uttering of the word Earth.

"You are from Earth!?" one of them asked with a smug look on his face.

"Yes," Kirk replied, not showing any sign of intimidation.

"You listen, and you listen well," the Romulan to the left side of Kirk said. "You will stay clear of us." Then he moved closer to Kirk, and stared Kirk straight in his eyes. "Take my advice Terran," he added, "Go back to Earth. As long as you stay in your star system, you are off limits to us. Venture outside of your star system, and then you will do so at your own peril; some like to call it a Prime Directive. Your kind is not ready for what exists beyond Earth."

"Alright," Kirk replied. "We will consider your warning. Just please answer my question."

The Romulan smiled. "No, Terran, that is not the question you want me to answer. What you're really asking is if we Romulans come from Earth."

Captain James T. Kirk had to admire the Romulan. It was exactly what he was trying to get to in a roundabout way.

"The answer," the Romulan said as his face turned to a cold stare, "is that you and I come from the same stock. Think of us as cousins," he added with a slight smirk. "That is all I will tell you. Consider my warning, and return to your ship, and return to Earth. Tell your leaders that your world, Earth, is not yet ready to for what is to come. Sublime ignorance will keep your world safe, for now."

And with that the two Romulans walked away.

"He was a really nice chap," McCoy said with a note of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, he was," Kirk said. "Let's get Uhura, and then get the hell out of here."

"Why?" McCoy asked. "You're not going to let him scare us back home are you? Didn't you say risk was part of the reason we were out here?"

"I did," Kirk admitted. "But wrapped inside his words was a subtle threat to my ship." He looked at all of the alien life forms that were milling about the general area. "We have enough information, for now, to relay to Starfleet Command. We've had our first taste of what's out here; now it's time to go home. And until the new subspace communications technology comes on line, we need to get this information back to Colonel Pike."

Uhura came back carrying three bags of shoes.

"I'm all done now," She said with a broad smile.

* * *

A half hour later Kirk, McCoy and Uhura were back aboard the USS Enterprise.

"What are your orders, sir?" Chakotay asked.

"Set a course back for home," Kirk said as he sat down in his command chair. "Take an evasive course around where we encountered the Gorn and Romulan fleets."

"Aye sir," Crusher said.

"Ready to engage," Sulu added as he got the coordinates from Crusher.

"Engage," Kirk said.

McCoy stood by Kirk's command chair.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" McCoy asked again. "Why not go out further?"

"We will," Kirk said as he watched the City in Space fade from view as the Enterprise sped away. "But not now," Kirk added. "The galaxy isn't going anywhere."

McCoy nodded, and then headed of the bridge.

As Kirk watched the stars stream by, he began to massage his chin as he always did when he was in deep thought, his arm resting on the arm of his chair as he tried to make sense of what they had experienced. Gorn, Romulans, a City in Space. There was much to digest.

"Spock," Kirk said to the Spock unit. "Do you think it is logical to return to Earth at this point?"

_Spock; Captain; I cannot give you a value judgment. However, you have accomplished the mission protocols. There are repairs that need to be done. The reasons for returning are formidable._

Kirk nodded in agreement. On paper, they had all the reasons to go back home to Earth. Yet part of Kirk wanted to go out further and see what other mysteries the galaxy held. But this time the conservative streak inside him won out. But next time they left the Earth system it would be for a longer period of time. He didn't like the Romulan's tone, and would be sure to remember that if such encounters happened again.

_(James T. Kirk was right; there would be another trek into space. And it would be the next venture into space that Kirk would find even more mysteries; and warnings about a terrifying existence in space: The Borg.)  
_

* * *

**MARS**

Khan, while holding the large and strange creature in one hand, used his other hand, with Tweezers at his disposal, to again remove one of the young tiny creatures from the very scary looking, large mother-creature that was indigenous to Mars. It resembled a large scorpion, but far more intimidating.

Khan positioned the tweezers over Chekov's head and then let the tiny creature drop down into her ear. She screamed in agony as the creature devoured its way deeper into her ear, the blood from her ear squirting out. And as she screamed in pain she saw the door to the warehouse fly open. It was Gary Mitchell!

The last thing she remembered was the look of pure evil on his face, and the appearance of his eyes; they were pure white. She lost consciousness.

Khan recognized Mitchell right away.

"Ah," Khan said with smile, "the great American hero, oh yeah that's Kirk not you, has come to rescue the damsel in distress."

"You could say something like that," Gary said in a cold tone.

"Get him," Khan said to his men.

Khan's men rushed Gary Mitchell. But with just a slight movement, Gary waved his right hand and instantly the heads of the men rushing him just seemed to fall off the necks that supported them. While the heads thumped to the ground, the headless bodies collapsed to the ground, the blood from the stump of their necks squirting as they fell to the ground, creating a sea of blood.

The strange creatures inside the heads all squirmed out of the ears of the now decapitated heads, and scurried about, unorganized.

"Impressive," Khan said with adulation in his voice. "You would make a great soldier in my efforts." Khan pointed his hand at Gary Mitchell in a quick movement and the creatures, all in unison, turned and scurried towards Gary Mitchell. Mitchell, his eyes still white, smiled at the attempt.

"It won't work, old friend," Mitchell said.

Gary snapped his fingers and the creatures all became tiny flames and ceased to exist.

"And now," Gary said with a sinister smile, "it's your turn, Khan"

At that instant Sgt. Rounds activated the shuttle's phaser turret and it fired into the warehouse, catching Gary Mitchell off guard, and causing a giant explosion. And, in a fraction of a second, sensing mortal danger, Gary created a shield of pure energy. In that moment the shield not only shielded Gary, but it also shielded Khan, Terrell, who was still on the ground near Khan, and Nadya Chekov. The explosion continued, and soon the entire warehouse was consumed in a giant explosion; seemingly killing all inside.

* * *

An hour later search teams from the Reliant arrived to help search for any survivors. Sergeant Rounds was satisfied when some of the remains of the original colony members were found dead among the debris, just as Gill had ordered. He would later assure Gill that Khan must have been incinerated in the blast.

Meanwhile, Commander Gary Mitchell and Lt. Nadya Chekov had miraculously survived the blast, somehow being thrown from the building, and were transferred up to the ship for medical treatment. Captain Terrell was also found, barely alive, and he too was transferred up to the ship for medical assistance.

"It was nothing shorter than a miracle," Corporal Donovan said to Rounds, "that Commander Mitchell, Captain Terrell and Lt. Chekov were able to keep their oxygen masks on, or they would have suffocated before we could have found them. I tried to stop the shuttle from firing, but I couldn't."

"It was a tragic malfunction," Rounds told the younger man, knowing full well what had really happened. "There must have been a stray line of command in the weapons platform. You're lucky it didn't blow the shuttle and you up."

Soon, the shuttles left the colony, and headed back to the Reliant. There were many questions that only a debriefing of Captain Terrell, Commander Gary Mitchell and Lt. Chekov would answer. And as the lights of the shuttles went upward and disappeared into the swirling sandstorm, a lone figure stood outside the smashed compound, wearing an oxygen mask as well as dark colored Turban; Khan.

* * *

**Three hours later aboard the Reliant: **

Gary Mitchell watched from his med bed as the doctors worked on Chekov in the emergency room. Captain Terrell had, unfortunately, died from his wounds, effectively placing Gary in command of the Reliant.

Gary thought back on what had happened. In the brief moment the shuttle had fired on the warehouse, Gary's unique power shielded him, Terrell and Chekov from the blast. Gary also had distant memories of placing oxygen masks on the three of them so as to cover the tracks of how they had really been saved; via his powers.

He also knew, full well, that one of those creatures had been placed inside of Chekov's ear. He did not tell the medical team this fact, afraid of what would happen if Starfleet Command found out that she had been compromised. It had become abundantly clear to Gary that more was going on than anyone knew.

Gary had scanned Round's mind, while returning to the Reliant earlier. He saw the memory of Rounds acting on orders from John Gill, the former Senator, to destroy Khan and the other colonist. It had been Sgt. Rounds who had accessed the shuttle's weapons in an attempt to kill Khan, and indirectly, Terrell, Chekov, and Gary as well. Gary would keep this information secret, for now.

Gary Mitchell found it very interesting that John Gill already knew of the alien infection, and also knew there had been survivors. And if John Gill knew, and he was a rogue operative not serving the military, then did the Unites Space Agency, and Starfleet Command, know was well? And if killing the colony survivors was part of the reason the Marines were aboard the Reliant in the first place, acting independent of Captain Terrell's command, then what would be the protocol for dealing with someone, such as Chekov, who had been infected.

For that reason Gary Mitchell would keep the knowledge of her infection to himself for now. He could easily snap his finger and remove the creature, which he could tell was still inside of her, but didn't. The strange dark pull inside of his being, the part that scared him as each day passed, wouldn't let him save her. The evil, curious part inside him, wanted to see what was to come.

Continued…


	27. Home Coming

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**Home Coming**

Brad Pitt as James T Kirk

Roger Howarth as Gary Mitchell

Gwyneth Paltrow as Carol Marcus

Michael Caine as President Nathanial Churchill

(Three weeks have passed since last issue…)

**EARTH**

The large conference room at Starfleet Command was packed. Captain James T. Kirk, in his dress uniform, sat in the center of the room and gave the most incredible mission briefing. A large monitor on the wall displayed, among other things, the encounter with the Gorn and the Romulans.

The President of the United Nations, Nathanial Churchill, a descendant of Winston Churchill no less, had also come to the briefing. The meeting was of the most top-secret variety, with the entire crew of the Enterprise quarantined from any interaction with anyone, most especially the media, until Kirk's briefing had been completed and policy had been declared.

The image on the screen froze, at the order of Colonel Pike, on the image of the Gorn. The gathered crowd murmured at the image on the screen.

"Captain Kirk," Pike said, "would please report to us what you know of this being, and your encounter with them?"

"Yes sir," Kirk said, who was flanked by McCoy to his right. Kirk was also wearing the wristband interface with the SPOCK unit as well. "That being was referred to us as a Gorn. The Enterprise came under attack by three Gorn vessels."

The President spoke next.

"Captain Kirk," Churchill said, "why did these vessels attack you?"

"No reason was given, sir," Kirk responded. "Both the Enterprise, and the Gorn ships, scanned each other. Upon our attempt at peaceful dialog, which the Gorn never responded to, we came under attack."

McCoy felt it important to add one piece of information.

"They did not attack any sensitive areas of the Enterprise. They could have, but they didn't," McCoy stated.

Pike continued, "Thank you for stating that for us, Doctor McCoy. Now, Captain Kirk, you say this being is called a Gorn; how do know who or what they are?"

Kirk took control of the images on the screen, via a remote control, and then fast forwarded to encounter with the Romulans, and then froze the screen as it first showed the image of the Romulan that Kirk had first spoken to.

"The Enterprise may or may not have been destroyed by the Gorn, in the end, we will never know," Kirk said, "but thankfully six vessels from a race called the Romulans came to our assistance and fought the Gorn off."

"Were you able to make contact with the Romulans?" The President asked.

"Yes sir," Kirk replied.

He let the scene play out on the screen.

_The instant the alien's image came on the screen, Captain Kirk, and the entire bridge crew who saw it as well, knew that their known theories of humanity and history had just been obliterated. Although the alien wore a helmet over part of his head, it was clear that the alien was... human._

Even though the alien began to speak in an unfamiliar language, it was obvious to all that some of the words were not too alien as they seemed. The audio translation began seconds after the alien began to speak.

"I am Praefectus'alae Gnaeus, in command of this scouting party," the very strong voice said, "though we have shielded your vessel from attack, it would be wise for you to put as much distance between yourselves and the Gorn hunting party. To stay in the general area would be to do so at a great risk to your lives."

"I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise, we are explorers," Kirk said, "and do not wish to cause offense to either you or the Gorn. We thank you got for the assistance. But can I ask you;" Kirk added, "from what world do you hail?"

The Romulan's expression had remained stone cold the entire time.

"These matters can be discussed if future encounters are to come," The Romulan answered. "For now, I suggest you return to your star system, and to your home world called Earth."

Kirk froze the image. The entire conference room became bathed in a loud murmuring of voices as the implications of this encounter took hold.

"This is most incredible," Pike said to Kirk.

"Yes," Kirk replied. "I must add that after that conversation, I, along with Doctor McCoy and Lt. Uhura, visited a large city in space that was in orbit of the fifth planet of the star system. While there we encountered two more Romulans."

Kirk let the images move forward, and froze the screen again, this time on the incredible image of the city in space. Again the gathered audience gasped at what they saw.

"What else did you find on that city in space?" President Churchill finally asked.

"Our stay was rather brief," Kirk replied. "What we saw was a variable sea of life. At least fifty or sixty different sentient life forms walking around what essentially appeared to us to be a giant city, and more precise to where we were, a mall if you will, with hundreds if not thousands of visitors. It was there when the doctor and I encountered two more Romulans."

"How did that go?" Pike asked.

"I initiated contact with these two," Kirk continued, "because just like you are doing now, I wanted to know where they came from. They were obviously human, just as we are, and if they weren't coming from Earth, then just where were they coming from, and more importantly, were our two species related."

"What did they tell you?" one of the Admirals, Jenkins, asked.

Jenkins was known to be the most hawkish of the Joint Chiefs.

"His answer was vague, at best," Kirk said. "He told us that we came from the same stock, and to consider them cousins."

"Seems harmless enough to me," President Churchill said.

"I must also state, Mr. President" Kirk said, "that these Romulans knew of Earth, and they knew we came from Earth. They also mentioned something about a Prime Directive that they adhered to that kept them out of our system for now. He also suggested that by traveling beyond our star system we were possibly endangering this off limits policy that they, and other species, abide by as well."

"Do you think we should curtail any missions beyond our star system?" President Churchill asked Kirk directly.

Kirk thought for a moment. Then he continued.

"No sir," Kirk replied, "I do not. I would suggest caution, but this is our neighborhood. Alpha-Centauri, in terms of the size of the galaxy, is really our backyard. The Romulans, and Gorn, have to know we can't be expected to just stay inside our star systems like sequestered children. We are a race of explorers," Kirk concluded, "and space is the final frontier."

"Very poetic, Captain Kirk," President Churchill said. "But that peaceful nature of ours didn't seem to help here, did it?"

Kirk nodded. "No, it didn't," Kirk admitted.

* * *

Soon the briefing was over. Policy was voted on and the crew of the Enterprise was ordered not to discuss anything they encountered beyond the Earth system until the President made an official address to the people of the world in the days to come.

A couple hours later, James Kirk was walking through the very impressive park near the new Starfleet Academy which was located across the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco. The briefing had taken place at Starfleet Command, which was also situated in the same complex. He had come to meet up with an old friend; Gary Mitchell.

Kirk followed the directions Gary had sent him, and then found Gary sitting on a bench throwing bread crumbs to a gathered flock of seagulls; all very eager to eat the bread crumbs.

"Well," Kirk said as he sat next to Gary, "I can't believe it; Captain Gary Mitchell of the USS Reliant."

"A good man died in order for me to take command of the Reliant," Gary said. "Not the way I wanted to gain command of my own ship."

"I know, but regardless, you will make a fine Captain, which is all I meant," Kirk said. "I read your report before coming over here to meet you. It is amazing that no one knew that there would have been any survivors at that laser fired upon the colony?"

"That's just it," Gary said, "they knew. They all knew, accept for us."

"What do you mean?" Kirk asked.

"Jim," Gary said, "I didn't put everything I found up there on Mars in that report. Starfleet would have you believe they didn't know there were any survivors from Khan's group. But trust me when I tell you, they did know."

Kirk sensed something different about his good friend Gary Mitchell. Gone was the youthful way in which Gary had carried himself for so many years.

Before Kirk could respond, another person sat next to the both of them: Carol Marcus.

"Carol," Kirk said with a broad smile, "what are you doing here?" Kirk asked. "Did you bring David?"

"Jim, I don't have a long time to talk, now listen;" Carol said in a nervous manner. "They took David, they took our son."

Suddenly a look of concern came over Kirk's face; and Gary's as well.

Although Gary found himself being pulled in ways he didn't want to go, and the darkness was more and more filling his soul, he still felt loyalty to his friend Kirk, and the woman who Gary had helped set Kirk up with, Carol.

"Who took our child, and why?" Kirk asked Carol.

Both Kirk, and Gary, anxiously listened to Carol tell them who took the baby. As she told them both the story, Kirk found himself becoming angrier after each of her words; Gary, internally, vowed to kill whoever it was who had kidnapped the child.

continued


	28. Different Lives

**STAR TREK; PHASE ONE**  
_**Different Lives**_

**Starring **

**Mila Kunis as Nadya Chekov**

**Liam Neeson as Mikael Chekov**

**Natasha Kinski as Tamara Chekov**

**Cary Elwes as Ivan **

**Meg Ryan as Captain Rachel Garrett**

The USS Lexington, under the command of Rachel Garrett, was in station keeping. The ship's first mission was to catalog the larger remnants of the Clark/Dennison asteroid that the Enterprise had successfully dealt with nearly a year previously. Most of the debris field had stayed in the same new altered orbital course around the sun. The Lexington was at station keeping as the main debris cloud approached, preparing for the first research aspect of intervention.

All though Clark/Dennison was no longer a threat, large fragments still remained as possible threats to the Earth and/or future space craft, or even future colony cities on Mars. The Lexington had been tasked with cataloging all remnants that posed threats. According to the latest data, there were 2164 fragments that posed possible threats, though in each case it was at least a hundred years in the future.

Captain Garret let the mission specialist, Geologist Doctor Darnell Merriweather call all the shots while launching the "tags" that were placed on each remnant. Now that he had been responsible for blowing it up a year ago, he was now tasked with finding quick and efficient ways to deal with the issue of the fragments. The first part of his plan was the tags.

The tags were tiny devices that the Lexington, while using modified phaser platforms, fired at the various asteroid remnants. The tags would monitor each remnant, and in time, would be used to help target mines to help obliterate them once the debris was past the orbit of Jupiter which it would be seventeen months in the future.

"Doctor Merriweather," Garret said from her command seat as he stood next to her sipping on a cup of coffee, "this is amazing technology."

"Thank you Captain Garret," Merriweather replied. "The satellite we launched yesterday will relay all the data from the tags back to Starfleet's science facilities at Newport Rhode Island. From there we will start the procedure of constructing and programming the mines."

"Then, when it comes time to lay those mines out, I'm sure we'll be seeing you again," Garret said with a smile.

"I hope so," Merriweather said. "However; staying on time, and on budget, will be our only hurdles."

"I'm sure you're doing just fine," Garret said with confidence.

Garrett sat back and watched Merriweather order her Navigator, who also ran the weapons platform, to fire a new batch of Tags at several asteroid remnants.

* * *

**Earth…Russia…**

Live orchestra music could be heard coming from a large mansion that over looked the beautiful city of Moscow. Many of the Russian elite had come to this very special event thrown in honor of one of their own, Nadya Chekov.

Stories of her successes while board the Enterprise, and later her near death on Mars, had made her the stuff of legend. So nearly three hundred guests had come to wine and dine, and dance, all in tribute of Nadya.

Nadya could hear the music below. She had yet to come down to enjoy the festivities. Her very elegant dress was still spread across her bed, waiting for her to put on. But she wasn't ready, not just.

She stared at her naked body as she stood before a full length mirror. She had many strange memories from what happened on Mars. Though, to be sure, she could not tell if many of the images in her mind were memories or dreams. It was hard to tell. And as she brushed her hair, in the mirror she felt she was looking at a stranger. She closed her eyes and saw the memory of Khan placing the creature into Terrell's ear. Nadya remembered being dragged over to the table and Khan preparing to do the same to her. Suddenly the memory changed.

She could see herself, as a young girl, dancing with other young girls in the middle of a large room. All the girls were in leotards, and the room was surrounded by mirrors that allowed them to watch themselves as they danced, while being tutored how to dance by their ballerina trainer. It was every young girl's dream at that age; to be a ballerina. But Nadya's father, Mikael Chekov, had been a successful cosmonaut through-out Nadya's childhood. And she loved her father very much, and always got along with him more than she ever did with her mother. She was her father's pride and joy.

In the years to come he would inspire her even more to follow in his footsteps, which she did. It was known that her mother, Tamara, didn't approve, but there was nothing she could do about it. Mikael was a national hero and would often take his daughter with him to special functions and in time Nadya became a child star. She literally grew up in front of the whole country.

Nadya was brought out of her memories as her mother came in. Her mother was very beautiful, and very elegant. She came over to where Nadya was brushing her hair.

"Let me do this for you," Tamara said.

Nadya handed her the brush, and then turned back toward the mirror. Her mom stood behind her and slowly brought the brush through Nadya's hair. Both women were silent for a few minutes, and finally, Tamara spoke.

"Ivan is here tonight, and looking most sharp," Tamara said. "He wants to see you."

Nadya nodded. She had known Ivan since they were in grade school. It was evident to her that the two of them were being groomed to marry from the time she was ten years old. The families would often share their vacations together, as the elite would often to. And as Nadya and Ivan entered puberty their parents encouraged them to date in high-school, and so they did. She lost her virginity to Ivan after one of the school dances. And even up to now, that one time with Ivan had been the only time she had made love to a man.

As her mother brushed her hair, Nadya closed her eyes. She was taken back to when Khan was holding her head down, preparing to put one of the creatures into her body. That is the point where her memories became clouded. She remembered the pain, and blood, as Khan dropped the creature into her ear. Then she remembered seeing the door to the building fly open; and seeing Gary Mitchell, looking as if he had been consumed by pure evil, standing in the doorway. And as she looked at Gary's memory, she became aroused.

She opened her eyes. Tamara was smiling at her reflection.

"Where were you just now?" Tamara asked.

"Nowhere special," Nadya said. "I was just thinking about old times."

Tamara admired her daughter's beautiful naked body in the mirror. And as only another woman could, she could also see that Nadya had been aroused by whatever she was thinking about. Tamara assumed that it was Ivan she held deep in her thoughts.

"You would make Ivan a very happy man," Tamara said. "I have it on good authority that he will propose to you tonight and I think you should accept. His father is very well respected, and marrying into that family would do wonders for you, and the rest of our family."

The younger woman smiled. "I like Ivan," Nadya said. "I'm not sure that I love him though."

Tamara began to brush her daughter's hair with a bit more force.

"Oh child, when will you learn that love isn't that important," Tamara said. "Stature, and preserving your family's position, is. Your father isn't in the best of health," Tamara went on to say. "And when he is gone, which will be sooner than later, your position in society will depend on men like Ivan. I would start thinking about your future if I were you."

"Mother," Nadya said, "I have a future."

"Which nearly killed you," Tamara countered. "You have been blessed with beauty," Tamara added as she traced her fingers down the left side of Nadya's body to a couple inches below her navel.

Tamara smiled at the sight of Goosebumps on her daughter's skin.

"I love my profession," Nadya countered. "I will carry on the Chekov name in the exploration of space."

"Then you will die a lonely old woman," Tamara said as she stepped back from her daughter. "At least hear what Ivan has to say."

Nadya nodded and turned and lifted the dress off the bed. Her mother helped her in the process. And as Nadya reached for some undergarments, Tamara stopped her.

"Don't wear these tonight," Tamara said with a fiendish look in her eyes. "Ivan would appreciate it I am sure."

Not wanting to cause more tension with her mother, Nadya did as her mother asked. Maybe her mother was right, Nadya thought. Maybe a life with Ivan was where her future would lead her.

Only time would tell.

* * *

**On the red planet of Mars**:

Khan was the only one left. The last of his followers having all been killed by Gary Mitchell, or, as Khan concluded, whatever Gary Mitchell had become.

Khan had been able to repair most of the computer databases that had been brought along with them when they had first come to Mars over a year earlier. He sat at one of the computer stations and accessed the database to find out any information he could about his former XO. According to what he had read, Gary had lived an ordinary life until he was ten years old. It was around that age when a most unfortunate event changed Gary's life.

Gary Mitchell's parents were both killed by a freakish tornado. The storm was undetected by the weather satellites. The Tornado just appeared out of nowhere, on a windless summer day, and struck Gary's childhood home. And just as swiftly as it had appeared, the tornado just spiraled away up into the sky, or so that was what the reports indicated.

"Very interesting," Khan said to himself. "But no matter," Khan added as Gary Mitchell's face appeared on the computer screen. "There will come another time, Captain Gary Mitchell," Khan said with a fiendish smile.

-  
Nadya Chekov came down the spiral stairway that led to the large living area below. She walked just steps ahead of her mother.

Ivan, who waited at the bottom of the stairway, stared at her with total eyes of lust. Unknown to Nadya, her father had let in a guest that he had invited from the United Space Agency; Gary Mitchell! And he too was caught up in the beauty of Nadya Chekov.

**Continued…**


	29. The Dance

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

The Dance

**Starring **

**Roger Howarth **as Gary Mitchell

**Mila Kunis** as Nadya Chekov

**Liam Neeson** as Mikael Chekov

**Natasha Kinski** as Tamara Chekov

**Cary Elwes** as Ivan Solovyov

* * *

**Moscow**

**Mikael's mansion… **

The festivities at the large Chekov mansion had finally kicked into gear as Nadya made her grand entrance down the spiral stairway. The live music started to play various waltzes as the guests danced.

Gary watched from afar while standing next to Nadya's father. He was a famous Cosmonaut and came from a very wealthy family as well. And it was he who had invited Gary Mitchell.

"Your daughter is quite stunning, Mikael." Gary said as he sipped from a glass of champagne.

Gary had met Mikael Chekov a few times in the past at gatherings of present and past space goers. Gary never had the chance to meet Nadya before until meeting her at the United States Agency training facility in England.

Mikael Chekov was a very down to earth individual. His years as a celebrated Cosmonaut meant that he was very much in shape for a man in his fifties.

"I trust your Colonel Pike is aware that you are here?" Mikael asked. "From what I remember, Christopher was quite strict in terms knowing where his men were."

Gary nodded. "Yes he knows I'm here," Gary said with a smile. "I had to sign a form promising that I would drink only so much, and that I also had to keep an eye on your daughter. You can call me an overpriced designated driver."

"Yes," Mikael, "But I suppose keeping an eye on my daughter comes easy to you."

Gary nodded. "Your daughter is very beautiful, Mikael. So is your wife," Gary added, "I think we know where your daughter gets her looks," Gary added with a smile.

"In case you are wondering," Mikael said as they both watched Nadya and Ivan share a waltz. "That man my daughter is dancing with, Ivan Solovyov, means nothing to her."

"You could have fooled me," Gary said as he enjoyed a pastry with caviar. "By the way, this caviar is great."

"Only the finest for my daughter's coming home celebration," Mikael said. "But I assure you, that although she has known Ivan since she was a child, they never grew that close. It's not as if my wife, Tamara, hasn't tried to get them to fall in love over the years; it just never happened."

"And why is that?" Gary asked as he observed the large cache of guests, most of whom made a point of acknowledging Mikael as they passed by.

"My wife is a survivor, and a fighter," Mikael said. "At the time I met her, I was a very single man, if you know what I mean. I had my pick of the litter, you might say."

"It's funny how being a celebrity astronaut, or cosmonaut, has that effect on women," Gary said with a very knowing smile.

"No truer words have been spoken," Mikael said with a wink as he too sipped on champagne. "But as my health has begun to show the signs of wear and tear from being a cosmonaut, my wife is trying her hardest to find our daughter a family to marry into."

"So I take it Ivan is wealthy," Gary concluded.

"Very," Mikael replied. "But trust me when I tell you this, my daughter has no need to marry into a family to a man she doesn't love. I have taken great care to make sure that she is well taken care of when my time on Earth comes to an end."

"They do look stunning together," Gary said as he continued to watch Nadya and Ivan dance from afar.

"Mr. Mitchell," Mikael said softly, "my wife and daughter have never seen eye to eye on how Nadya should live her life. To Nadya, all of this," Mikael said in reference to the wealth and mansion, "means nothing. The only reason I am as wealthy as I am is due to my family. I inherited my stature, as will Nadya. But thankfully, like me, it is not what drives her. It does drive my wife."

"What does this have to do with me?" Gary asked.

"My daughter likes you. I like you. You are a normal person who does not put this," again he motioned to the mansion around them, "ahead of this." He placed his hand on his own heart. "My wife, the cold bitch that she is, will try to corrupt any children Nadya has. I cannot allow that. I believe that a man like you could stand up to my wife."

_Oh you have no idea,_ Gary thought to himself.

"Mikael, are you asking me to propose to your daughter?" Gary asked.

"Consider it at least," Mikael said. "Trust me when I tell that my wife over there," he directed Gary's attention to Tamara who was clear across the ballroom, "has had this same conversation with Ivan. But I happen to know from very credible sources that Ivan likes men more than he does women. My wife has been trying to convert the poor chap his entire life. She has taken him to her bed on more than one occasion; I have it all on video tape, of course. But, no matter, the man doesn't love my daughter. He just wants to align his name with my family name. He is more like my wife than my daughter or my son Pavel."

"Do you even love your wife?" Gary asked with a smile.

Mikael spoke softly, knowing the sensitive nature of the conversation. The directness, and cocky talk of two men like he and Gary, was natural and, in its own way, built mutual respect.

"I will not lie; I married Tamara for the sex, and it was wild and wonderful while it lasted. And now I am paying the price for putting sex in front of love. You would do well to remember that love is more important than anything," Mikael insisted.

Gary wanted to tell Mikael that his daughter had a creature living inside her. A creature that would adapt to her feelings and desires over time, while slowly infusing her with its own desires and instincts. He wanted to tell Mikael that if Nadya didn't love Ivan, more than likely the creature would cause her to kill him.

As Gary watched Nadya in all of her beauty, as Mikael drifted over to other guests, he could feel his own desire growing for Nadya. With the wink of an eye he could destroy the creature inside of Nadya, but he didn't. The curious, dark part of his soul, wanted to see how the Russian family's soap-opera would play out with a daughter who, more or less, might become nothing more than a flesh eating vampire. Ivan could find himself in a pool of blood; Gary liked that possibility very much for Ivan.

Gary looked at his watch. He thought for a moment. He had flown to Moscow Russia, which was a three hour flight from San Francisco, and had only arrived an hour before coming to the mansion. The news about the abduction of Little David, Carol's and James's son was very troubling. James wanted to keep the situation quiet, fearing reprisals against the child if news of the abduction became known. Gary agreed. James vowed to quietly find who ever had taken the baby, and make them face justice. Gary wanted to find who had taken the child and kill them; as well as any children they had as well.

Gary's return flight to San Francisco was not for another hour. And he was instructed by Colonel Pike to be sure Chekov returned with him, due to the new training schedule. But Gary was her Captain now, and could disregard the Colonel's wishes, and allow her to stay longer. As he wondered whether or not to bring Nadya back with him, his growing ability to read other people's thoughts was gnawing at him as well.

It was very easy to read Ivan's thoughts. Although Ivan was dancing with Nadya, Ivan's aroused thoughts were aimed at the male friend who had come with him to the mansion. Mikael was right; Ivan liked men and there was nothing wrong with that, Gary agreed. But it proved Mikael's belief that the arranged marriage his wife was hoping for between Nadya and Ivan was indeed for stature; not for love.

But Gary could also sense the growing hatred inside of Nadya. No doubt it was being augmented by the creature inside of her. Gary knew where it was headed; Ivan's death unless Gary put a stop to it. Gary set his glass down and went over to Mikael.

"Mikael," Gary said to Mikael Chekov, who was standing with other guests, "I must take my leave of you." Gary said, trying to sound proper. "I will take what you said to heart."

"That is all I ask," Mikael said with a warm, fatherly smile. "You tell your Colonel Pike that he still owes me a dinner in a fine city of New York, and that I intend to collect on that debt the next time I am in America."

Gary left and headed out of the main entrance. Maybe he should have told Mikael that his daughter would no doubt kill Ivan on this night. Maybe he should have taken Nadya, as he was ordered to do, back with him to San Francisco to spare her possible entanglement with the law. Gary smiled a fiendish smile as he sat down in a taxicab that pulled up to where he stood on the curb.

Continued…


	30. Bloody Clouds

**STAR TREK  
PHASE ONE **

**BLOODY CLOUDS**

**UNITED SPACE AGENCY; Starfleet Command.  
Archer Island; off the coast of Miami Florida**

Archer Island, the massive artificial island that the United Space Agency was stationed on off the coast of Daytona Beach Florida, was indeed an engineering fete of an unparalleled scope. The island's tall buildings could be seen from the beaches along the Florida coast. Seeing the massive skyscrapers on the island, as the early morning fog broke, sometimes gave a strange haunting look to the island.

With the threat of hurricanes now diminished, thanks to weather controlling advances in the past two decades, the building of constructs on the ocean surface large enough to hold cities would help the growing population issues that were becoming more a burden as each year passed. A large part of the world's population was against the artificial islands, seeing them as yet another example of man ruining the ecology of the world in the short-sighted attempt to ease population concerns.

James Kirk and Gary Mitchell stepped out of the Lear-jet which had just landed at the massive island airport. It was obvious to Kirk that Gary was somewhat exhausted, due to the fact he hadn't said much during the flight.

"I guess you're enjoying your new jet-setting life style?" James asked with a smile as they walked through the boarding ramp.

"You're telling me," Gary replied. "Last night Moscow, this morning San Francisco, and now Florida." Gary rubbed his eyes. "But it's okay James," Gary added, "I'm going to help you find your son. That's what friends are for."

"Thank Gary," James said. "I appreciate it, I really do."

Gary nodded. What James Kirk didn't know was that if and when they found the person who kidnapped baby David, Gary would kill them in the most horrific way imaginable.

Sometime later, James Kirk and Gary Mitchell had arrived at Colonel Pike's office the main United Space Agency building on the island. They came there under the guise of an ordinary briefing; in fact it wasn't. James had made secret contact with the Colonel via a seldom used cellphone number the Colonel only used for covert needs. Only a select few knew of the phone number. In fact, not even Pike's wife and daughter knew of it; but James Kirk did.

Upon entering the Colonel's office they sat down in the chairs on the other side of the desk from where Pike sat. There were several printed reports arrayed on his desk. Even in the mid 21st century, paper reports were still being manifested daily. It was clear that some things the military had done would never change despite whatever attempts technology made.

"What is it you two boys found so important to contact me on my uber-private line like that?" Pike asked as he lit up a cigar. "You know that line is only intended for emergencies."

"Colonel," Kirk began without even so much as a beat. "Someone has kidnapped my son, David."

Pike froze at the words.

"How is that possible?" Pike asked. "Only the three of us, and Doctor Crusher, even know the child is yours."

"For all we know Colonel," Gary added, "Someone from Carol's past is behind this."

"But," Kirk added, "The more likely scenario is that it has something to do with my past. As to what purpose someone would want to use the kidnapping of my child against me, I don't know. But who ever took David told Carol to keep it secret, or David would be killed."

Pike didn't respond. He motioned to the large screen T.V mounted on the wall.

"I think you should both see this." Pike finally said. "What I'm about to show you Jim," Pike added, "is potentially very damaging to you; to all of us in fact. I received this video about two months into your Martian mission. I have kept it secret for this long for what will be obvious reasons. But I must say, that whoever sent me what I am about to show you; has kept it secret as well."

A recorded image started to play. It was obviously filmed footage shot inside of the men's gym on the other side of the island from where Pike's office was at the massive training facility. On the monitor a young female can be seen, totally naked, approaching a man standing by his locker. There is no audio. The two eventually go inside of one of the stalls where another video camera records their more intimate moments.

As James watched the tape, he knew exactly when and where it was filmed because he was the man on the tape. And he was with Pike's daughter. The video ended.

"I'm so sorry Colonel," James said softly.

"Ummm, Colonel," Gary said to Pike, "Do you want me to hold James down while you kick his ass?"

Pike shook his head. "Shut up Mitchell," Pike said sharply. Then he turned to James. "Jesus Christ," Pike said, "I can't totally blame you, Kirk. I was practically throwing her at you the past couple years. I bear some responsibility for you two being together."

"How did you get this tape?" Gary asked.

"Someone had gone in and cut this material out of the security tapes," Pike said. "Intel and Starfleet have both known for quite some time about the missing footage, but no one could ever find it; until it ended up in my lap all those months ago."

James Kirk had remained silent.

"It's okay James," the Colonel repeated. "I mean, it isn't okay, but it's okay."

"How did you get the tape?" James asked. "Does Christine know about it you having it?"

"Yes, she knows I have it," Pike admitted. "But I have since sent her to Italy, under heavy security, to finish her college career there. Now as to who sent it? I do not exactly know. When I confronted my daughter she told me that she met with the man who blackmailed her. He made her give him access, among other things, to personal files of the crew of the Enterprise."

"Why?" Gary asked.

"I don't know," Pike said as he lit up a cigar. "So far the damage has been contained; until now."

"Colonel, Carol didn't inform me she was pregnant until after that footage of your daughter and I was made. How long did this outside entity have access to our files?" Kirk asked.

"We don't know. The person who blackmailed her revealed very little about who he was and who he worked for. She told me that his name was Tom Garak. I have…"

Kirk stopped Pike.

"The man who came to Carol's house and took my son was named," Kirk said with a pause, "Tom Garak." Kirk said with silent anger.

"Are you sure of this?" Pike countered.

"He is," Gary said for Kirk. "I heard Carol's account as to what happened as well. Tom Garak was definitely this asshole's name." Gary said, barely able to contain the anger inside of him.

Suddenly one of the lines on Colonel Pike's phone started to blink. He pressed the button and answered the phone.

"What is it?" he asked the caller. He listened to the person on the other end. It was his secretary Pam. Pike covered the phone with his hand, and looked to Kirk and Gary. "Someone by the name of Tom Garak is on the line. Pam is going to transfer the call."

Pike hung the phone up and pressed another button.

"This is Colonel Pike, and who might I be speaking with?"

"My name is Tom Garak," a voice responded. "I believe we have a great deal to discuss."

"Where's my son!" Kirk yelled at the phone's outer microphone.

There was a slight pause and then Kirk and the others could hear a baby playing in the background noise.

"Captain Kirk, your child is doing fine, for now," Garak finally replied.

"When I find you I'm…" Kirk said before being cut off by Pike.

Kirk sat back in his chair. Gary patted him on the shoulder and gave him a confident smile.

"What is it you want?" Pike finally came back with. "Why all this back door effort? Kidnapping the child, the security tape footage?"

"Trust me, Colonel Pike," Garak said, "I don't relish that aspect of my job. But it is what it is, and right now I have a job to perform."

* * *

**Moscow; Russia…  
**  
Nadya Chekov opened her eyes. She had lost track of all time, and her memory was murky. She had no idea where she was as the fog of sleep began to wear off. Then her vision began to focus. She was in a room, most likely a hotel room.

She was naked under the blankets lying on a large bed. And to her astonishment; she was sharing the bed with two other people.

Next to Nadya, to her right and in the middle of the bed, was Ivan, naked as well, but above the blankets. Next to Ivan was another man, nude as well. But more importantly, both the men were dead; their necks having been slashed. Pools of blood had collected on their necks and to the side of their bodies where the blood had drained.

And as she clinched her fist, Nadya realized she was holding something in her left hand. She pulled her arm out from the warmth of the blankets and was mortified at what she saw in her grasp: A bloodied knife.

Continued….


	31. Star Alignment

**STAR TREK; PHASE ONE  
Alignment of the Stars**

**starring**

**Roger Howarth as Gary Mitchell**

**Naveen Andrews as Khan**

* * *

The massive airliner, a C187G-Airbus, banked to the left slightly and headed across the Atlantic on a course for Rome Italy.

Gary Mitchell was sitting in his seat staring at the image on his padd, and was startled to find out that Khan had survived the phaser attack upon the warehouse on Mars; just as Gary had. Gary stood up and went to one of the many observation windows passengers could stand up and gaze out of. Luckily the flight was under booked and he was able to find privacy there.

"So," Gary, with a sarcastic smile, said to Khan, "like the proverbial cat you have again escaped death; remarkable. I see a movie deal in your future if you play your cards right."

Khan nodded. "And I have you no doubt to thank for my latest feat."

Gary feigned ignorance. "What do you mean? It's a miracle any of us survived."

Khan's expression was cold and shallow. "Don't insult my intelligence, Mitchell. I saw what you did to my men right before the shuttle fired on us. And I saw, for a brief instant, a shield of green energy surround you, Chekov, Terrell and myself. Somehow it would seem as if Starfleet is quite unaware of your new abilities; but I assure you, I am not."

The evil inside of Gary wanted to kill Khan by snapping his neck. But the distance between them made that impossible, for now.

"Well then it looks like we both have something to tell the United Space Agency," Gary countered back with. "I seriously doubt that anyone at the Space Agency, or Starfleet Command, knows that you're still alive up on Mars."

It was then that Khan finally smiled.

"Precisely," Khan said. "We both have our own agendas and I agree to let us both follow our own paths; if that is acceptable to you."

Gary nodded. "Alright, I'll play it your way." Gary said, though he still wanted to squeeze Khan's head until it was smashed in.

"Very well then," Khan said. "For now. I am able to contact you on a subspace communication's frequency that Starfleet is only now beginning to experiment with. Fortunately the people I once worked for already have the ability and gave it to me before I left Earth on the Enterprise all those months ago. However; since I do not trust you, it will be the last time I shall ever speak with you in this manner."

"Very honestly put," Gary said. "Now what is it you want?"

"The people I once worked for; I want you to kill them," Khan said.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Gary asked.

Khan smiled.

"Peripherally," Khan said, "they are responsible for trying to destroy this colony and those of us from the first mission after our first incident with the Martian parasites."

"Have you been infected?" Mitchell asked.

"No, I have not. But while we are on that topic; I do know that Chekov was infected because I did it. Yet I find it quite interesting that even as of last night, according to the Russian news reports which I still receive here up on Mars, she was the recipient of a party thrown in her honor in Moscow. I also note that you were there in her honor. I take it Starfleet does not know she is infected."

Gary did not respond.

"Your silence betrays you, Mitchell," Khan said with a smirk on his face. "However, that is not my concern. What I am interested in is the organization I once worked for. It is headed by the former United States Senator John Gill."

Gary nodded. "John Gill," Gary said, "I know of him. He's some whack-job hardliner who thinks the U.N. is too soft and wants a more forceful world government."

"The same," Khan continued. "He and his organization are actively trying to make themselves into an alternate power on Earth. They even have their own starship nearing completion which they intend to launch and to use to challenge the United Space Agency's dominance in space. They use coercion of those whom they deem important in order to achieve their means. They will…"

Gary cut him off upon hearing the word coercion. "Does the name Tom Garak mean anything to you?"

Khan thought for a moment. "Yes it does. That is the name of one of Gill's operatives. Why do you ask?"

"Do you have a picture of this man?" Gary asked.

Khan manipulated the controls on his console and an instant later Garak's image appeared on Mitchell's screen.

"That is Tom Garak," Khan said.

Gary looked at Garak. It was only matter of time now until Garak would be dead. Gary flipped the screen back so as to show Khan again.

"You said that Gill's organization was only peripherally involved. What did you mean by that?" Gary asked.

"There is a very secretive government agency called Section-31," Khan said, "which actually took control of the satellite and made it fire on the colony. This secret agency was able to input secret command lines into most of the Unites Space Agency's technology; including the satellites above Mars, and the Enterprise as well. What the aim of this agency is, I do not know. But I really don't care. They tried to destroy a threat, the parasites, and I can actually accept that as a consequence. What I could not accept was Gill's giving me up as a target to them. For that, Gill and his organization must be destroyed."

"Alright, I'll play along," Gary said, "How am I supposed to do that?"

Khan took a sip from a glass of water, and continued.

"There is an island off the coast of Australia," Khan said as the image of the island appeared on Mitchell's screen. "Destroy that island and you will destroy Gill and his organization. If you are as powerful as I think you are, you should be able to accomplish this."

"And what do I get in exchange for doing this dirty deed for you?" Gary asked. "You could just call me back up and demand something else and then something else and so on. Why should I help you now?"

"I know for a fact Gill intends to destroy the credibility of Starfleet and the Space Agency by tearing down the beloved hero, James T. Kirk."

Khan was right, that did anger Gary. Even though Gary was becoming something more than a mere human, he did have a strong loyalty to his best friend, Kirk.

"And the reason," Khan continued, "I won't 'call you back' is because I believe your power will soon be able to swat me down as though I were a fly. My plan is to get as far from you as possible and that brings me to the second item I want you to do."

"Which is?" Gary asked.

"In the heart of the island lair is a ship, a space ship in fact. They call her the Botany Bay. And if you are as powerful as I think you are becoming, you should have no trouble saving the ship and sending it my way. From that point on we will go our own ways and you will never see me again, and you would have saved Kirk. I think that is a fair exchange."

"Very well," Gary said. "But I promise you this," Gary added, "If we ever do meet again I will destroy you."

Khan smiled. "Then I suggest we never meet again Gary Mitchell."

* * *

**USS LEXINGTON**

The mission to catalog the remnants of the Clark/Dennison asteroid, which had been successfully destroyed by the Enterprise a year earlier, was completed. Although most of the debris from the asteroid had now become tiny fragments, there were still some that posed future threats to Earth. In fact one of the smaller debris clouds, already cataloged by the Lexington several months earlier, was actually near Earth. This smaller cloud was from the part of the asteroid that was struck by the blasts, and had its course drastically altered.

Geologist Darnell Merriweather, the specialist heading the mission, was awakened from his sleep by a hail from the Lexington's Captain, Rachel Garret.

"Mr. Merriweather, can you please report to the bridge?" her voice asked from the com unit.

"I'm on my way," Merriweather said as he rubbed his eyes and got dressed.

Moments later Merriweather entered the bridge and came over to the science station.

"What is it?" Merriweather asked.

"Take a look," Garret said pointing at the screen.

The space map on the main screen showed the debris cloud near Earth. It was currently ten million miles from Earth and had been determined not to pose any threat. As Merriweather looked at a tactical image of the smaller debris cloud he could see a stray fragment heading towards Earth as it was being tracked by the Lexington's sensors.

"You see what I see?" Captain Garret asked.

"How is that possible?" Merriweather asked. "There is no reason why that fragment should be heading towards Earth."

"That was exactly what I was going to ask you," Garret said. "I thought your devices would tell us of any possible course change. But exactly two hours ago that fragment not only strayed from the debris cloud; it is gaining speed."

"That is not possible," Merriweather replied. "That is just not possible."

* * *

**PLANET ROMULUS**

The Praetor took in what had been said to him just moments before.

"So," The Praetor said, "our brothers have finally grown of age; perfect. Perhaps our return home is drawing closer than we thought."

continued…


	32. Man or Machine

**STAR TREK:PHASE ONE**

**Man or Machine**

Starring

Karl Urban as McCoy

Alica Keys as Guinan

Simon Pegg as Scotty

Jim Parsons as SPOCK Android

and

Morgan Freeman as Dr. Richard Daystrom

* * *

Doctor Leonard McCoy walked through the mostly empty corridors aboard the USS Enterprise. The Enterprise was still "parked" in one of the now three space docks that orbited Earth for repairs. The attack by the Gorn had done a little more damage than had first been reported. But the NASSCO shipyard workers were among the best and, with Scotty's very detailed direction, they would complete the job at hand.

Most of the crew was due to report back to the ship within the next three weeks for deployment. McCoy had been made aware of the kidnapping of little David Marcus. Jim Kirk would not leave Earth until that baby was found, and McCoy was pretty sure that most of the crew, if they knew about the kidnapping, would mutiny along with Kirk to find the child.

Since Leonard McCoy didn't have much of a social life anymore, he spent most his shore leave aboard the Enterprise. And it was at this time of the day, around 1600, that he ambled down to Ten Forward to visit with some of the others who stayed aboard during the repair cycle.

McCoy entered Ten Forward and went straight to the bar. And standing there behind the bar, almost on cue, was Guinan. She even had his drink ready for him; a dry scotch. And this wasn't any synthahol beverage. This was a mean scotch, a dirty scotch in face.

"Well hello there, Bones," Guinan said with her warm smile.

Ever since Kirk had uttered the nickname McCoy was labeled with by Colonel Pike back in the day, Bones, no one else on the ship had the 'balls' to use it besides Kirk and Guinan. The reason why no one else used it was a simple universal fact; make fun of a doctor, then you can expect to have things stuck inside every hole in your body for reprisals of making fun of said doctor.

McCoy let Guinan use it because she was special. Guinan, with her smooth Creole heritage, and her very simple but alluring eyes and smile, just made everyone feel a little less stressed. She also wore the most incredible but stylish head wardrobe. Today her hair was kept back in a red scarf that had two purple blooms on either side. On anyone else it would look silly, but on Guinan, it was actually quite erotic.

"Hello to you, Guinan," McCoy said as he sat down to have his drink. "Any depressed shipmates I need to know about?" He downed the scotch rather quickly.

Guinan smiled, and refilled his glass. "Now, Bones," she said, "You know I can't divulge what my clients say."

"Clients, is that what they call them?" McCoy added with a chuckle.

She came around the bar and sat next to him so as to lower her voice.

"What about the baby? Have they found the little guyyet?" Guinan asked softly.

The fact she knew about Kirk's abducted baby did not surprise McCoy at all. She seemed to know everything.

"No, they haven't found David yet," McCoy said. "But I think they will. And if I know Jim and Gary, they might land a few blows on the prick before all is said and done."

"What about Kirk?" Guinan asked. "He's usually so calm and collected. Do you think this will rattle him?"

"Depends how it turns out," McCoy said.

Guinan changed gears.

"I'm thinking about having a once a week karaoke contest when we set sail next time," Guinan said as she went back around the bar. "I hear you do a mean Michael Buble."

"Well, I wouldn't call it Michael Buble; but yeah," McCoy said as he sipped on his second drink. "I'll play. I actually hear that Sulu, after he gets smashed, sounds just like that old geezer Ozzy."

"Is he still alive?" Guinan asked. "I thought he died."

"No," McCoy said, "ever since he had that fifth-heart implant he's still kicking and breathing. Who would have thought that a guy like that, after such a wild life, would be still kicking after all these years; it defies all rationality."

They both laughed at the thought.

At that moment Scotty came in and headed straight to the bar. He, too, liked scotch; obviously.

"You look frustrated," McCoy said to his new drinking partner.

"Aye," Scotty said. "The capt'n gave me two months to get this ship back in order. I just dunno if I'm going to make it."

"Oh stop with the heavy Scottish accent," McCoy said.

"Hey, I'm trying to impress the lass here," Scotty said motioning to Guinan.

She smiled at the thought.

Guinan was about to respond to Scotty when suddenly another person came into Ten-Forward.

"Oh dear lord," Guinan said. "Who is this poor soul?"

Scotty and McCoy pivoted in their chairs to see who Guinan was speaking of. The person who came in was not really a person at all; to them, at least. It was clear that it was one of the new higher-end android models that Starfleet had been experimenting with. Then doors to Ten Forward opened again and in walked Doctor Richard Daystrom. He spoke to the android and then they both of them came over to the bar.

"Nice to see you again," Scotty said to Daystrom.

"Thank you," Daystrom said. "I take it Captain Kirk is still on shore leave."

"You would be correct," McCoy said. "He probably won't be aboard ship for another week or so."

"I understand," Daystrom said. He then looked to the android.

Androids, by the 2050s, were very humanoid looking though just a bit of the artificial nature of their appearance still came through. Most humans had seen lower end models enter life as car-washers, or other manual laborers. They even did the jobs considered too hard by normal standards, such as crab catching.

But in the military it was hoped the androids could evolve to higher end positions to lessen the amount of lives that were at risk in deep space exploration.

"Introduce yourself," Daystrom said to the android.

"My name is SPOCK. It is very good to see all of you again, though I must admit I never got a chance to meet you, Guinan," Spock said.

"Well," Guinan said, "thank you, Spock. We call this place Ten-Forward. It is a place that, I think, you will find most interesting because it really is a fishbowl of humanity."

"Fishbowl?" Spock asked.

Spock stood at about 6feet/three inches. He wore a standard uniform, and wore the rank of Commander. He was the grand experiment. And the only reason Spock would have been back aboard the Enterprise, as a commander no less, is if Captain Kirk had signed off on it. And that alone would help the crew respect and accept this new unique crew addition.

"This must be an interesting time for you," Scotty said to Daystrom. "I assume transplanting the matrix into this android construct must have taken some time to do. It must have been quite an engineering feat."

Daystrom nodded. "Yes, it had its moments. But Spock passed all of the required physical tests, as well as all the command protocols."

Guinan shook her head. "Excuse me; Physical tests and Protocols? Doesn't Spock have the most up-to-date A.I. interface ever created? He's practically a living being if you think about it, and you're talking about him as if he's just another machine."

"He is just a machine," McCoy said. "Let's make no mistake about it."

Guinan looked at Spock.

"Mister Spock," she said, "what is your favorite kind of music?"

"He is a highly advanced computer construct," Daystrom told Guinan. "He doesn't have a favorite anything."

Scotty joined in with Daystrom and chuckled at the thought.

"How about taking me down to engineering?" Daystrom said to Scotty. "I want to see those new interface platforms you ordered from us last week."

Scotty finished his scotch and then headed off for engineering. McCoy, who had already finished his own drink, waved to Guinan, and headed back to sickbay, leaving Spock.

"Jazz," Spock said to Guinan in a most deadpan way.

She smiled. And in his artificial eyes she sensed a bit more there than just bells and whistles.

The Android turned and left Ten-Forward. He had been left behind by Daystrom and Scotty as if he was just an appliance or another tool of technology.

But Guinan sensed something more about Spock. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something special about this android. And if Kirk signed off on Spock, then Guinan felt even better about it. If she sensed there was something more than just 'tests and protocols' to Spock, and Kirk did as well? Then she felt she was in good company.

At that moment the red alert klaxon sounded through-out the ship. The on duty command officer, Chakotay, made an announcement on the ship-wide communications relay.

"THIS IS NOT A DRILL. ALL HANDS RED ALERT, I REPEAT RED ALERT."

Guinan flipped on the TV above her bar. The CNN news channel was reporting that a fragment of the Clark/Dennison asteroid had strayed off course and was heading toward Earth; more specifically towards Australia.

Continued…


	33. Energize

**STAR TREK: PHASE ONE**

**"Energize"**

Starring

**Brad Pitt** as Jim Kirk

**Roger Howarth** as Gary Mitchell

**Morgan Freeman** as Richard Daystrom

**Bruce Greenwood** as Christopher Pike

* * *

An asteroid fragment, the size of a city block, approached Earth at a speed of nearly 30,000 miles per-hour. Although most of the object would be burned up entering Earth's atmosphere, a sizable amount would remain which would cause serious damage to a small island, nearly 300 miles off the cost of Australia.

The angle of the blast would create a sizable explosion, but because most of the damage would be done to the island, the resulting tsunami would not be as large had it happened in the ocean. Though, most likely, ocean levels as far away as Hawaii and San Diego would be affected for nearly two days, and flooding would be an issue. Precautions were already being undertaken to minimalize the loss of life and property.

Starfleet's science division could not account as to how the object broke away from the rest of the debris cloud from the Clark/Dennison asteroid, and had gotten as far as it did without being detected. It was as if it had gone through one of those crazy wormholes science fiction movies always depicted. A wormhole was as good as an explanation as anything else; at least for now.

**Archer Island; United Space Agency Headquarters (an artificial island constructed off the coast of Florida.  
**  
The massive complex that housed Starfleet Command on Archer Island was a flurry of action. The entire command had been placed on red alert due to the approaching asteroid fragment.

And while those on duty hustled around, James Kirk sat alone in Colonel Pike's office at Command HQ. The rest of the building may have been at full alert, but Kirk wasn't. Not yet at least.

Kirk could only think about his son, his nearly one year old son, being kidnapped by some stranger named Tom Garak. Garak wanted to barter the baby's life for sensitive tech that ran the Spock unit. Why this was so important to Garak had not yet been divulged.

And while Garak was responsible for this act, Kirk was not exactly happy with Carol Marcus either. Carol was David's mother, and former romantic interest of Kirk. She had willingly handed their son over to Garak upon Garak revealing to her that Carol's sister and her family were all being held captive as well. And unless Carol had given Garak little David, Carol's sister and family would never be seen again.

Carol acted on impulse and caved in on Garak's demands sometime back. And while Kirk commended her for trying to save her sister's life, inside he wish she hadn't. It was a selfish emotion, Kirk knew. But he was only human. And now, because of Carol's gamble, David's life was in absolute peril.

The man responsible, Garak, loved to use threats against the innocent to get what he wanted apparently, and had earlier, during the conversation with Kirk, equated it to being just another job. Kirk and Pike were about to discuss what to do about the entire mess when the alert about the asteroid fragment came through, taking Pike away to deal with a more pressing matter.

At first, Kirk was content to sit alone in Pike's office, await the end to the crisis, and not head down to the main tactical ops to help with the situation. But that was not his way. He stood up, put little David to the corner of his mind, and instead of being James T Kirk the mortal, he became Captain James T. Kirk of the United Space Agency, hero. It was in his blood to always help even when his own life and concerns should have been more paramount to him.

Upon opening the door to leave Pike's office Kirk came upon Doctor Richard Daystrom waking through the corridor. Kirk was about to bring up the ordeal that he was going through, in relation to Daystrom's invention, the Spock unit, but tabled it for now. Pike had told Kirk that much of the data discussed by Garak was top secret. Kirk would keep it that way; for now.

"Ah, Kirk," Daystrom said. "I just left the Enterprise an hour ago after the alert came through. We were all evacuated off of the Enterprise, except for the crew. I just wanted to thank you for signing off on Spock's next phase of development."

"It's no problem," Kirk said as they both made their way to ops. "I found his advice most useful." Kirk added, not revealing the fact that Spock's best advice had been on the humanity side of the equation. And Spock's own questions about his own artificial awareness had also flagged Kirk's interest.

The two continued on their way toward ops. As they came into the large room, arrayed with several large monitors and control stations, and many scrambling officers, men and women, they headed over to where Pike was standing. Gary Mitchell was there too

"This looks pretty bad," Daystrom said as he looked at the main tactical screen which showed the ever approaching fragment.

"And definitely most peculiar," Pike added. "It is traveling at a speed faster than any of fragments from the debris cloud. My nerds in the science department, most of whom are about as atheistic as a rock on the bottom of the ocean, equated this situation to a disgruntled God _willing_ the asteroid to come to Earth and smash out a city that lived in sin."

"God is a mysterious man," Daystrom countered; obviously a believer.

Gary had to fight back a smile. Unknown to anyone else, except for Khan up on Mars, it was Gary who had indeed, using his growing powers, willed the fragment to strike the island, killing all those on it; chiefly John Gill, who had betrayed Khan. At this point it became obvious to Gary that Starfleet was unaware of Gill being on the island with his followers.

But Khan knew Gill was there. And it was Gary Mitchell, who had made a bizarre deal with Khan. Khan knew of Gary's growing abilities and suggested this act in exchange for any information Khan had on baby David Marcus's abductor, and Khan's silence about Gary's abilities, and the fact that Chekov had been infected with a parasite.

Once this current emergency was over, Mitchell would find Tom Garak, save the baby, and then utterly kill, in a most violent way, Garak. It was only a matter of time.

"Is the island inhabited?" Kirk asked Pike.

"Not as far as we know," Pike replied.

Gary had to contain his own laughter. But the secret was about to be exposed.

Suddenly one of the officers at one of the various operations post looked up to Pike, who stood on an upper level which looked down at the ops stations.

"Sir, we're receiving a distress signal from the island," the officer said.

"Did you say a distress signal; From who?" Pike inquired.

The officer was listening to someone talk to him via the headset he wore.

"Sir," the officer replied, "this person claims to be former Senator John Gill."

"Isn't he the one who is trying to set up another world government?" Richard Daystrom asked.

"Yes he is," Pike answered. "Not exactly who I would have expected to receive a distress signal from. Nonetheless," Pike said to the officer, "put it up on the main screen."

They all turned their attention to the main screen. A countdown from impact could be seen on the lower left-hand side of the screen. It was just over fifteen minutes.

"This is John Gill," Gill said. "I am sending this signal to all those who can receive it. The island that is about to be obliterated by the asteroid fragment has been, for nearly a year, a secret post where myself, and officials from countries loyal to our cause to offer the people of Earth a choice in a world government. Now, it would appear, every exit, and way off of the island, has been blocked. Some outside force has seen to it that no one here, on this island, is to survive this attack. I accuse the United Space Agency puppets, in behalf of their UN masters, for this act of aggression."

It was a most stunning accusation.

"Many women and children will die," Gill said in a soft and defiant voice. "I just wanted you at the United Space Agency, and the media outlets I am transmitting this signal to, to know the truth of what has happened on this day."

And as to make a point, the view on the monitors panned away from Gill and showed a very large crowd of people who were gathered on the island in some kind of conference center. There were men and women, even children, who had been living on the island all this time apparently.

Pike, who muted the mic, looked around at his people in ops.

"How could we not have known that many people were on that island?" Pike wondered out loud.

At first, as Kirk saw the large crowd on the screen, he could only wish them well. But to him they were just strangers and at this point there was nothing he could do for them. That was until he recognized, toward the right end of the crowd, a little baby; it was David. He was being held by a man with long flowing gray hair.

Gary, too, suddenly recognized little David. But Gary also recognized the man holding David; Tom Garak. It was then that Gary realized that Khan had played him like a fool. By convincing Gary to destroy the island, Khan had signed David's death certificate. And because of the drain on his abilities to bring the asteroid closer to Earth instantly, and to maintain its speed as well, Gary had used much of his power and it had left him feeling drained. There was nothing Gary could do to stop the asteroid fragment from hitting the island and killing his best friend's son.

Pike looked over to Kirk, having recognized David as well.

"Jim," Pike said softly, "I'm so sorry."

Kirk's face betrayed his emotions. He was a defeated man.

"What is wrong Kirk?" Daystrom asked, putting his hand on Kirk's shoulder, trying to comfort the younger man. "Do you know someone on that island?"

Kirk nodded slowly. "The baby on the right hand side of the screen," Kirk said to Daystrom, "is mine. He was kidnapped, probably by the man holding him."

"Oh dear lord," Daystrom said. "Why? Why would someone kidnap your son and take them to that place?"

Kirk looked to Pike, who in turn nodded, giving Kirk permission to speak.

"They kidnapped my son so as to get Spock's matrix," Kirk said to Daystrom.

A look of guilt came over Daystrom's face.

"I'm so sorry Kirk," Daystrom said. "If I had known maybe…" Daystrom's voice trailed off. Then he continued, "Kirk, there may yet be away to save your son. I'm not saying it will work, but we can try."

Kirk turned to face Daystrom.

"What do you mean?" Kirk asked looking up at the screen and seeing the 12 minute countdown.

"Come with me," Daystrom, "we don't have much time."

And with that, Kirk followed Daystrom down the main corridor. Being interested as well, Gary jogged along with them.

"Where are we going?" Gary asked Daystrom and Kirk.

"I have been working on a new device with my friends over at the Quantum Mechanics lab. It's very top secret so I must ask you two to not divulge anything you are about to see," Daystrom said as they made it to the elevator and went up seven levels.

"What exactly are you talking about?" Kirk asked.

"For many years," Daystrom said as they rode the elevator, "we have been working on a device that can transfer matter from one place to another."

"You mean like that movie the Fly?" Gary asked.

"Yes, a very droll example, but an acceptable comparison," Daystrom said to Mitchell. "Though, to be honest, our model would not require a receptor on the other end in order to work. Plus, at a coordinated time, the object could be beamed back, so long as a lock was kept on the person who was transported."

"Beamed?" Gary asked. "What are you saying?"

Daystrom looked as serious as he ever had since Kirk had known him.

"I believe I can transport you to that Island to save your son. You, and all that that implies, will be stored as a data-stream. Then a signal will transfer that data to that island, and you will be re-assembled there, just as you are now," Daystrom said. "Kirk, I lost my daughter years ago, so I know the pain you are going through. I can't promise you anything; but is worth a try. You could end up being stuck on the island, or die during the transfer process. But although you and I may not agree on much, I do believe either of us would risk our lives to save our children."

Kirk nodded in agreement as the doors to the elevator opened and deposited them into the main science lab. Kirk and Gary followed Daystrom to a control panel. Situated nearly ten feet away was a round, glowing platform on the ground.

"We call this thing a Transporter," Daystrom said to them both as he clipped a device on Kirk's shirt. "Just step on that platform, and don't take that clip off. I can use the GPS coordinates that were on the monitor to beam you to that island, and into that room. I will set the retraction time at," Daystrom looked at the clock, there were nine minutes left before the fragment would it, "eight minutes. At that point you will be beamed back no matter what."

"How many times have you used this thing?" Gary asked as Kirk walked over to the platform.

"We have been using it on an experimental level for about a month," Daystrom replied.

"And how many people have you sent through?" Gary countered.

"Kirk will be the first," Daystrom allowed. "That's why I can't guarantee this will work," he added.

"Let me do this Jim," Gary suggested.

"I can't ask you to risk your life," Kirk replied. "I have to do this. You just promise me that if I don't come back from this, you'll get them to name a ship after me or some dumb thing like that."

Gary smiled. Kirk had meant everything to Gary. It was Kirk who had convinced him to join Starfleet and join the Officer's program. They had known each other since high-school. They had given each other a couple bloody noses over that time, but had shared more laughter in return.

"Alright;" Daystrom finally said, "energizing."

At first nothing happened. And then a strange effect came over Kirk's body. It was as if he was shimmering out of existence, and then he was gone.

Continued…


	34. The Human Factor

**Star Trek: Phase One**

**The Human Factor**

_Although the actual beaming only took five seconds to complete, in Jim Kirk's mind it was as if he had found eternity. Could a man's soul record the passage of time while disassembled Or, in those few seconds when one's mind is between existence, and outside reality, that we can exist as something else? Could the transporter beam actually takes us back to the time before we were human, angelic even, if there was such an existence?_

Kirk opened his eyes and just as he did he heard a voice in his mind whisper one word: _Edith_…

Kirk forced himself to open his eyes. He was on a cold slab of pavement. He struggled to stand up and, luckily, found a row of clothing, including jackets that he had seen on many of the people earlier on the prompters. He put one on for disguise. The risk was very apparent. He had seven minutes to find his son and if anyone recognized him, it would cause a ruckus. He slid the jacket on and put on a baseball cap that had fallen off the myriad racks of clothing in the room.

It was pure luck that Kirk hadn't materialized inside one of the walls and died instantly. Luckily the experimental transporter had the ability to detect such 'obstacles' and Daystrom found the closest non-obstructed place to put Kirk.

As Kirk entered the large conference room and became just one of the large throng, he had no feeling of guilt. He was there to rescue his son, and that's it. Had he been just an observer able to step back and look at events as they were happening, he may have labeled himself as a self-serving man who was comprised of single thoughts. But that's what someone becomes when they are attempting to save a life more precious than their own.

The lights inside the conference were actually slightly dimmed. This made it easier for Kirk to blend in with the crowd, pretending to be one of them, as he made his way. He looked around to try and orientate himself as to where he was. Then he recognized some of the background he had seen on the prompter earlier. He then started to make his way towards the area he had seen David.

It was almost as if he were walking through a ghost yard. All these people, in less than five minutes, would be dead. He saw men and women and children as he made his way. Some of them looked depressed. Some of them were drinking it up because they knew they didn't have long to live. But one thing it was; it was loud.

Kirk passed several parents holding their kids. The look on some of the children faces revealed that they had no idea what was about to happen to them. Maybe it was best that way, Kirk decided. Their eyes held the wonder of a child, with all that life ahead of them but then, like a twisted joke, it was as bitter as life could be. Kirk wished he could save them all, but he couldn't. He wished he could reach down, pick up the little three year old girl who he had just walked past. She was wearing a nice dress and was holding her teddy-bear and Kirk wished he could save her; just bring her with him, so that she could live out her life. But the humanity inside of him, the part that propels us to save our children above all others, took over and he walked right past her.

* * *

**United Space Agency Headquarters on Archer Island**

Colonel Pike watched as the main screen showed the large amount of people where were about to die. Gill's voice could be heard.

_"You have done this," Gill said in an accusatory voice. "The USS Lexington was supposed to be cataloging the asteroid. Perhaps they were the ones who changed the course of the fragment and sent it at us."_

"No, that is not what happened," Pike replied through his side of the connections. All over the world, as the event happened, those who were watching could also hear the exchanges between Gill and Pike. These images were unfiltered…anyone could see them.

Suddenly, just to the lower left from where Pike stood, one of the officers manning a tactical post looked up to Pike. Pike silenced his microphone.

"What is it Lieutenant?" Colonel Pike asked.

"Sir," the younger man replied, "We are detecting a launch of sometime on that island."

"Put it on the screen," Pike replied.

The image was being captured, real time, from an orbiting satellite. A large vessel, nearly an exact duplicate to the Constellation class starship, rose from a specially made launch platform.

"Could something that large survive going through the atmosphere?" Pike asked.

"It's feasible," one of the science officers said.

_"What you are no doubt seeing," Gill's voice said finally, "is the launch of the Botany Bay. It is comprised of a crew that was selected at random. They will be the flag carriers of our cause."_

"You should be on that ship, Senator." Pike said.

_"We don't operate like that," Gill said as his image came back on the screen. "My life is but one. This brave crew will explore space and…"_

Suddenly the Botany Bay exploded.

_"How could you!" Gill yelled into the mic._

* * *

**The Island Lair of John Gill**

As the crowd in the conference room gasped at the sight of the televised explosion of the Botany Bay and the sudden death to those aboard her, Kirk made his way slowly through the crowd. And then, he saw him - baby David. He was in the arms of the stranger with long gray hair. And then Tom Garak looked Kirk's way.

At first Garak discounted the stranger coming towards him. At first Garak thought it was just another one of the crowd. But then Garak recognized James T. Kirk. Garak turned away from Kirk and stepped up onto the stage that over looked the gathered crowed of nearly a thousand or more. Kirk chased after him and was on the stage as well. With his other free hand, Garak grabbed a microphone and turned it on.

"Everyone," Garak yelled. "Look who we have before us! Don't come any closer Kirk!" Garak yelled as he held the baby closer, and in a threatening motion.

The loud sounds of the crowd subsided as Kirk and Garak stood on the stage.

All over the world, as well as at Starfleet Command as well, people could see two men on some sort of stage. One of them was holding what appeared to be a baby, and the other was someone that most of world knew. It was none other than Captain James T. Kirk.

* * *

**United Space Agency Headquarters on Archer Island**

"How did he get there?" Pike whispered softly. Then Pike remembered the memos he had seen about an experimental transport system Daystrom had been working. But that device was very top-secret. He put two and two together.

* * *

**Gill's Lair**

"Give me the baby," Kirk pleaded for all to hear.

"How did you get here?" Garak countered.

Kirk looked at a wall mounted digital clock on the wall behind where Garak stood. There were only two minutes left.

"I was teleported here by a top-secret device," Kirk said honestly, in a soft voice. "Only one person can return with me. I'm sorry."

The crowd started shouting angrily at Kirk, some even began to come up onto the stage to confront Kirk. They held what appear to be makeshift weapons; a few even had clubs or baseball bat.

"No, Kirk," Garak said with an angry look on his face. "You don't get to win this time. This time _Superman_ loses!"

Garak held the baby, David, out toward Kirk. But then Garak threw the baby down to the crowd below. Kirk tried to catch his son, but landed on the hard wood stage with a loud thud. He could only watch helplessly, as the crowd caught the innocent child and began to commit violent acts on the defenseless child. The billions of people who watched all over the world could only stare in terror as the mob mentality took over and caused civilized humans to do such horrible acts. The increasingly bloodied clubs splattered the remains of David everywhere as the mob rushed Kirk, to kill him as well, but then Kirk shimmered out of existence. His last memory of David was watching his son be nothing more than a piñata at the demented pleasure of those who faced impending death.

And that mass death came as the asteroid remnant struck the island, killing all those on it instantly.

* * *

**United Space Agency Headquarters on Archer Island**

Kirk rematerialized on the transporter pad. He was lying on the on the ground, but now in the sterile compounds of the science department at Starfleet Command. He stared blankly ahead, a lone tear coming from his eyes.

"No…no.." he whispered silently, reaching for the son he would never hold again.

Over by the transporter machine, Gary Mitchell and Richard Daystrom could only watch in silence as Kirk remained on the transporter pad; consumed by his lost.

Gary also felt the pang of guilt build inside of him like none other he had ever felt before. And the anger began to build inside of him as well. He had reached out with his mind and had destroyed the Botany Bay. But that act was not sufficient enough. Gary would hunt down Khan until his dying days if necessary.

"I feel sorry for Kirk," Daystrom said softly to Gary. "He will never father another child again. I didn't either after my daughter died."

"He's strong," Gary countered with his own whisper.

The two men walked over to where Kirk was and helped him off the ground.

"I'm so sorry Jim," Gary said to Kirk as he hugged his friend. Tears also came down from Gary's eyes. He had killed Jim's son, and the only one who knew the truth was a mad man named Khan. But since Khan would not be getting the Botany Bay, Gary knew exactly where he was; on Mars.

Gary thought about telling Kirk everything. How he, Gary, had evolved to a new form of humanity with powers beyond compare. He wanted to tell Kirk how he had unwittingly set the fragment on its way to destroy Gill, only to destroy Kirk's son as well. Gary knew that if he didn't tell Kirk, Khan would most certainly find a way to tell him instead.

But, in the end, Gary decided the best way to hide the truth was to kill anyone who knew of it. Gary was the Captain of the USS Reliant. It was time to convince Colonel Pike to let him return to Mars. It was time to pay khan a second and bloody last visit.

A small grin came over Gary's face.

* * *

**Mars**

Khan watched in silence as the news images repeated the entire sequence of events for the umpteenth time. It showed Kirk's showdown on the conference room stage with Garak. Kirk was pleading with Garak to hand David over to him. And then, as Garak threw the child, the images showed the gruesome attacks on the child. Then the scene went bright as the comet struck, and the signal ended.

"Revenge," Khan said to himself, "is a dish best served cold; Gary Mitchell."

And where Khan was, on Mars, it was definitely cold. Only he survived now, after the warehouse fiasco nearly a year previously. Khan also knew that Gary Mitchell would no doubt act out in revenge as well, and come for him.

But Khan was ready for him. He looked over at the subspace communications device that Gill had given him all those months ago. Khan flipped a switch on it. Another person's face came on the screen.

"It is done," Khan said. "I am quite sure Gary Mitchell will come here to Mars to destroy me for assisting him in killing Kirk's son. It's up to you now."

The person on the screen spoke.

_"It is a shame that the universe has conspired in this way against Kirk. It will make him into a warrior, and he will thank you someday. But as for you Khan; do not worry; we will keep up our part of the bargain," the voice said from the prompter. "If this Gary Mitchell is indeed the next step in humanoid evolution, The Romulan Empire must possess him," the voice belonging to Praefectus'alae Gnaeus said._

Khan watched the screen go dark. He thought he had made contact with the Romulans quite by mistake in the past two days while making adjustments to the subspace transmitter. Eventually, and after much discussion, Khan became aware that the Romulans had monitored the conversation between Khan and Mitchell hours earlier.

The Romulans were first not aware that Earth had attained subspace communications and now when they monitored Earth's progression, they also decided to monitor the content of the communications as well.

The Romulans came across Khan/Mitchell's conversation earlier, and then the asteroid fragment altered course, and they became even more interested in the human named Gary Mitchell and began a dialog with Khan.

"How will you keep up your part of the bargain and get me off this planet before he gets here?" Khan asked.

_"Do not concern yourself with such matters." Gneaus said in a most calm collected way. "When the time comes we will be ready."_

And the screen went dark.

Continued…


	35. The Canvas

Phase One…

_Captain James T Kirk wanted to a normal man. To fall in love, have children, and roam the stars. But his son, David, was killed in cold blood. And with David's death went any hope of Kirk marrying Carol Marcus and finding that kind of existence. And with all of that behind him, Kirk now dedicated himself to the next phase of his life; the Enterprise._

**STAR TREK; PHASE TWO  
Canvas**  
(with much thanks to all the writers of STAR TREK(s) for their ideas and themes)

* * *

_It had been three months since the destruction of John Gill's once secret island lair. The world's press agencies had spun story after story about the entire event. Accusations that the Unites Space Agency had purposely destroyed the island were starting to fade as life went on and more stories came out detailing Gill's desire to unite the world under one government._

_Gill envisioned a fascist regime much like that of Hitler's Germany. Gill had written paper after paper, all of which had been published in various news articles, detailing his bid to model the new world government after what he thought was the perfect template. Then the stories about his support for genetic breeding came out and his hopes in the creation of so called "superman" to rule the new world with power and ambition. As these opinions of his came to light, the world's population lost interest; and life went on._

* * *

_James T Kirk had gone on with his life as well. Colonel Christopher Pike ordered Kirk to take three months leave and to take that time to deal with the events that had happened. The terrible images of what happened to David Marcus, in those final moments, had been televised over and over to a frantic public that saw Kirk as not only a hero, but now, as a human who had suffered a terrible loss. Jim Kirk took Pike's advice and disappeared into the background of reality. The Enterprise's next tour had been delayed for more repairs. Though, secretly, Pike had ordered the new repairs so as to wait for Kirk's return._

* * *

**IOWA**

He wasn't quite sure why, but James Kirk looked forward to this time of the day. Around four in the afternoon he would saddle up his horse, Sprocket, and head out toward the hills near the canyons.

The sun was about to get lost beyond the distant mountain range, and the last rays of light would rebound through the canyon, providing a most incredible view. And then, as the whispers of light descended, the first stars would begin to take their place upon the stage above Earth.

As the first stars began to poke through the canvass, Kirk reached up and scratched his scruffy face. For a moment he thought about how he had come back here, back to this simple place, to find himself. He hadn't shaved in weeks. He had enjoyed his time back at his family's farm in Iowa, which was now in the care of his late brother's wife Sarah, and their two kids.

Sam, Kirk's older brother, had lost his life to cancer. It was one of those typical sad stories about a person finding out they have cancer and dying six months later. With Sam's death only four years in the past, James Kirk found himself to be the last one left in his immediate family. Sam at least, before his death, got the chance to be a father. Jim didn't let anyone know, but he too had always wanted to be a father. But with what happened to David, not even his death, but in the way Carol had wanted Kirk to have no part of his son's life; Jim wondered if it was worth the possible heart break to try and be a father again. He decided it wasn't. He had a new woman in his life and her name was Enterprise.

He patted Sprocket on the head, right between the ears, and then pulled the reigns to the left. It was time to go home; it was time to go back to the Enterprise.

* * *

**ONE DAY LATER  
TOKOYO JAPAN**

Toho studios had been a stable in Japan's culture for a hundred years. From serious movies about Japan's fabled past, or the more profitable movies about monsters and aliens thrashing the island nation, Toho had made its mark.

Sulu was like a kid in toy-land. In his real life, as an astronaut, he had piloted mighty starships to Mars, and beyond, and back to Earth. And yet, sitting in the mockup of a space ship used in the filming of several Godzilla movies, he couldn't have been happier than he was now.

Scotty stood outside the space ship that Sulu was inside of, and it was clear the Scotsman was bored of this trip to Toho. Scotty looked around. Here he was, a grown man, and he was standing beside two skyscrapers, his head several inches above the top floors, and trying desperately not to step on the cars and trucks that were at his feet. He had to give the Japanese model makers credit. The stage set of a city, usually trampled by a man in a Godzilla suit, was remarkably real looking. The movies that were now being made were all CGI, but the old city sets still seemed better than the new perfectly rendered artificial computer versions.

Scotty and Sulu had the same argument about CGI effects in the later Star Wars movies. Scotty felt CGI really couldn't get the mass right of a ship and how it would go through space. CGI, he believed, was a nemesis to the art of movie making and he hoped that someday, modern directors would mount an insurrection against studios that mandated CGI.

"Are you almost done?" Scotty finally asked as he saw Sulu standing up inside the ship.

Sulu stepped out.

"Yes, Montgomery, I am done. Dude, I grew up watching these old movies. There isn't anything else like them." Sulu said.

"Braveheart;" Scotty countered. "Now that is an oldie but goody movie."

"Who wants to see a bunch of men running around in skirts?" Sulu asked. "Oh wait," Sulu said with a coy smile, "that's the only thing good about that movie."

"Oh shut up," Scotty said as the two made their way from the Godzilla museum inside of the massive Toho productions complex and towards the recording studios housed on the twenty-seventh story. The entered an elevator. "Braveheart is a about freedom and finding the strength with-in to go on against incredible odds."

"Yeah yeah yeah," Sulu said. "I just don't find any inspiration from a man who wears blue makeup on his face. Give me Godzilla stomping on some aliens from Nebula M. Now THAT excites me. I just don't get you westerners"

"Us?" Scotty said with a laugh. "You guys brought us classic duds like Pokémon and Power Rangers. Whoop-Dee-doo," Scotty added with a whistle.

"Hey," Sulu added with fake anger, "I liked the Power Rangers. Did you ever see the Mystic Force Power Rangers? You would have loved it. It had elves, and forests, and all that Tolkien crap."

The elevator door opened and they found themselves at the recording studios division.

"We're here; now be quiet," Scott said, "I don't want them to think that professionals such as us, from the United Space Agency no less, fight over dumb things like Godzilla and Pokémon."

"Ahem," Sulu said, "and dumb things like Braveheart and Beatles music."

"Dude," Scotty said as he came to a dead stop, "don't even go there again with the Beatles music."

Moments later they were at the front desk and were greeted by a very attractive Japanese secretary.

"Oh," she said in a quiet voice, "can I have your autograph Mister Sulu?" She handed Sulu a blank pad of paper.

Scotty could only watch the young lady, who had total lust in her eyes. Scotty thought to himself that if Sulu wanted to, he could have taken her in the other room and boffed her and she probably would have PAID for him to do it.

The secretary motioned for them to sit in the waiting area until Niami Yusko, the top producer at Toho Records, came to get them.

As they sat on the comfortable couch, Scotty shook his head.

"What's wrong with you?" Sulu asked.

"Now I know what Captain Mitchell meant all those months ago about you," Scotty said.

"What? What did I do?" Sulu asked innocently.

"Here you are, the most famous gay person in the world, and yet women like her," he pointed at the desk where the secretary sat, "want you in a bad way."

"What are you talking about?" Sulu asked innocently.

"Oh shut up," Scotty said sitting back in the couch and picking up a magazine to read.

At that moment Niami Yusko came in and greeted them.

"Thank you for both coming." she said to them, "But, as it turns out, we won't need you after all."

"Huh?" Scotty asked. "I thought your company needed us to come over here to do some voice over work for the United Space Agency audio-book about the Enterprise being made for children all over the world."

"We did need you. We wanted actual Enterprise crew members to come here and record the opening monologue. Then we called your agent," she said pointing at Sulu, "and booked both of you. It was all good, but then; he came."

"He came?" Sulu repeated. "Who is he?"

She smiled. "Come, and I will show you."

Moments later, Sulu and Scotty were following Niami as she was taking them to the actual recording studios. The walk was rather long, which was fine with Scotty, because he got to look at Niami's shapely rear end the entire way. They made their way past several studios and then Sulu and Scotty came to a dead stop when they came to the studio she was taking them to, and saw who was inside the studio. It was James Kirk. They both smiled at each other. Their captain had returned to the land of the living.

Kirk didn't see them because he was recording and seemed to have his eyes closed. Niami put her fingers up to her mouth, reminding them both to be quiet as the recording was made. There was a small table in the hallway, and on it was the special book that would accompany the audio recording. Sulu reached down and picked it up and saw a very nice drawing of the Enterprise. He opened in and saw a picture of Mars, and in a dialog bubble above the planet was a passage. It was that passage that Kirk was reading. Sulu read along as Kirk began to speak the phrases.

_Space… the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It's five year mission to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; And to boldly go where no man has gone before._

* * *

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

Jim Kirk opened his eyes. He was sitting in the command seat of the USS Enterprise. Lt. Kelso was looking back at Kirk.

"What heading sir?" Kelso asked, repeating himself.

Jim Kirk smiled. He looked around the bridge and saw the familiar faces that had returned, and some of the new ones. He saw Uhura at her post, looking as elegant as ever. He saw Scotty at the engineering satellite post on the bridge. He saw his good friend Doctor McCoy standing to the left of the command chair, and finally, the new Spock android to the left of his command chair. And then, with the wind to his back, Kirk looked at Kelso and gave the reply.

"Out there…" Kirk said to Kelso with a broad smile, "…Out that'a way."

And with that the USS Enterprise slowly emerged from space dock. It's mission? To leave the Earth star system and join the stream of life that waited beyond; and the vastness of space that was waiting for humanity to add its signature to.

* * *

**NEPTUNE**

The blue planet, named for the Roman God of the Oceans, had been photographed many times by the various probes, Voyager 2 for example, and had been determined not to possess any real reason to explore, other than to catalog its moons and other unimportant aspects of any other ordinary planet.

Two ships shimmered out of the blackness of space. The Romulans found Neptune to be a most interesting planet. The Romulans did not want their interest in the blue planet to be known, which was why the two ships were sent under cloak. They had come to Neptune for a reason. And the last thing the Romulans wanted was their 'cousins' on Earth stumbling upon the secret of Neptune, that if known, could cause a galactic war on a most epic scale. The Romulans were not trying to protect Earth, which was incidentally the world from which the Romulans originally came from. They just wanted the secret to themselves. For if the Romulans were correct, Neptune's secret was the only thing in the universe that could stop the Borg.

Continued…


	36. God Complex

**STAR TREK: PHASE TWO**

**God Complex**

The USS RELIANT was on course for the planet Neptune and would arrive at the beautiful blue gas planet within an hour. The flood lights of the starship brought to life her majesty against the backdrop; the canvas of the stars that surrounded her. Many children, of all ages, had bought highly detailed plastic kits of the new starships, and the Reliant was the number two seller next to the Enterprise. And in the black of space, that's what the Reliant looked liked; a much larger version of the plastic kit. And while some child was no doubt holding their model, pretending it was flying through the endless night time sky, the crew of the Reliant was really living it. And perhaps someday that awe inspired child would get the chance to live inside his or her dream; inside the USS Reliant.

The reason as to why the Reliant was going to Neptune was less tangible; the United Space Agency had picked up anomalous signals for several days near and around the planet, and had sent the Reliant to investigate. The going consensus back at Starfleet Command was that the planet might be going into an active volcanic state. The Reliant was being sent to drop some probes into the atmosphere for further observation.

Captain Gary Mitchell was in his quarters, preparing to go up to the bridge. Although he was the ship's captain, and being a captain of a starship had been a dream of his for many years, he still felt distant from where he was. He felt as if he was a walking volcano; just waiting to explode with his ability. He didn't mind doing small work like investigating anomalous signals and such.

His friend Kirk was grabbing the media spotlight, and especially now as the Enterprise had left space dock one week earlier on its second mission beyond Earth's system. The public loved Kirk. And they especially loved Kirk after watching him face tragedy because it made Kirk all that more the kind of a celebrity that the masses could identify with. James T. Kirk was without a doubt the most famous person on Earth. Which meant Gary, and Chekov, could best fly under the radar, which for now was best for both of them.

In his quarters, Gary Mitchell stood naked before the full length mirror in his room. And though he saw himself, with all the humanity that meant, he was increasingly seeing the body as the body of a stranger. He turned around and faced the bed; the bed he had begun to share with Nadya Chekov when final crew transfers had been made.

James Kirk, Gary's best friend in the entire universe, had went ahead and allowed the permanent transfer of Nadya Chekov to the Reliant. Kirk knew that Gary had his eye on Nadya for many months. But Gary knew very well that had had Kirk declined the transfer, he, Gary, would have simply killed his friend. That is the type of being Gary Mitchell was becoming. He was becoming very protective of his things; and Chekov was his thing.

Chekov opened her eyes. She was nude as well, no longer under the blankets as she too prepared to head to the bridge.

"Why do we do this?" Chekov asked as she admired Gary's body. "What do we see in each other?"

He came over the bed and climbed behind her, kissing the back of her neck as he did.

"Well, you see me as some kind of God and I can't blame you." he told her. "I am becoming a God. And every God needs his Eve."

Nadya looked back at him. "That isn't quite the relationship they had, Gary."

"Then that God was more of a fool than I already think he was," Gary said with arrogance in his voice. "I am drawn to you because you, my dear, have a monster inside of you."

"A monster you could easily remove. So why don't you?" she asked. "I am a murderer because of it."

He slid his arm around her and placed his hand on her soft belly and he pressed his body against hers.

"I don't remove it because I like roller-coasters," he said to her. "You ever ride one?"

"Sure, but I rode them for fun," she replied with a coy sound in her voice.

"No you didn't," he said as he slid his fingers up her belly toward a more tantalizing area of her body. "You rode roller-coasters because of the thrill that came with the thought that you might actually die. That is why we all ride them."

"So," she said as she enjoyed the sensations of his touch, "you're afraid I might kill you and so that is why you are with me? You are riding me like a roller-coaster? Gee, how romantic."

"Yes," he whispered.

Then he climbed out of bed, and began to get dressed.

"Now, come on," he said to her. "The God of Neptune awaits us. And you know how Gods hate to be kept waiting."

Gary smiled at her as he looked down at her. As Chekov stared back up at him, she could see a faint glow in his eyes. It aroused her. But he was right, they had duties to do. She watched him leave, and then prepared to leave for the bridge herself.

* * *

Unknown to the crew of the Reliant, including Captain Gary Mitchell, a cloaked Romulan Warbird was sitting directly off to the port side of the ship, shadowing her every move as she approached Neptune.

* * *

Another Romulan Warbird, uncloaked, was in a parking orbit in the southern region of the planet Neptune. The ship's commander, Praefectus'alae Gnaeus, was overseeing the launch of a Romulan probe. It was the forth such attempt in the past fourteen cycles. Their mission to Neptune, violating Earth's star system in the process, was to probe the planet for a possible weapon to be used against the Borg; should the powerful cyborg race rampage this part of the galaxy again. So far the probes had either been destroyed by the atmospheric conditions of Neptune, or, the data provided was not conclusive either way. But if the Omega Particle existed on the planet; Praefectus'alae Gnaeus would stop at nothing to find it.

* * *

**Deep Space…**

The USS Enterprise entered the Wolf 359 star system. The star was originally discovered using astrophotography by German astronomer Max Wolf in 1918 and was nearly 8 light years from Earth. The Enterprise had been sent to explore the planet Obaron IV, which had only been discovered orbiting the UV Ceti-type flare star, in the year 2041. The planet was nearly 75% the size of earth, with relative mass. But more importantly; it had continents and oceans.

As the Enterprise entered orbit of the plant, scans revealed no sign of civilization on the plant. But there were signs of mammalian life forms on a lower scale, as well and aquatic life and birds and insects. It was, as Colonel Pike told Kirk before they left, the best test planet in that it would be Kirk's first chance, thus Earth's real first chance, to gather data on an entirely alien world other than their own.

The Enterprise had been fitted with the experimental Transporter Machine technology. And as Captain Kirk, First Officer Spock (an Android) and Doctor McCoy, along with a survey team arrived in the newly built Transporter room, McCoy's face turned green.

Kirk and the others stepped up onto the Transporter pads, but Dr. McCoy did not.

"Bones, what's wrong?" Kirk asked. "Don't tell me you're still afraid of this thing?" Kirk asked, knowing of McCoy's disdain at the thought of being teleported. This would be McCoy's first time and he didn't like it.

"Jim," McCoy said, "I didn't join Starfleet to have my molecules scattered about by this thing."

"Oh doctor," Scotty said from behind the console that operated the device. "It's just going to tickle ya. I've done it about twenty times, and wow, I feel like a new man each time."

"That's because, you ding bat," McCoy said to Scotty, "you ARE a new man each time you get teleported. The real you, the original you, died the very first time you went through."

"Ye may be right," Scotty said with a smile, "but I have noticed that I can hold my scotch a bit more."

"Really?" McCoy asked, interested in the idea. Then he stepped up onto the pad. "You better not be snowing me."

Scotty did not answer either way. Then Scotty manipulated the dials on the transporter console. And then Captain Kirk and the landing party shimmered away.

* * *

**Below; on the surface of Obaron IV**

It had been one month since he had arrived on the planet. He had come to this world as part of his Kolinahr training; to be alone; to contemplate his place in the universe. He was Vulcan, and it was at this age that all Vulcans strived to become perfectly logical in every way. As he closed his eyes to meditate, he didn't notice the flashing light on his small scanning device. It was picking up the signals of an orbiting starship. And as his meditation became deeper, he didn't notice the newcomers shimmering into existence behind him.

Continued…..


	37. I Am Spock

**STAR TREK PHASE TWO**

**I AM SPOCK!**

* * *

**Obaron IV**

_It had been one month since he had arrived on the planet. He had come to this world as part of his Kolinahr training; to be alone; to contemplate his place in the universe. He was Vulcan, and it was at this age that all Vulcans striven to become perfectly logical in every way. As he closed his eyes to meditate, he didn't notice the flashing light on his small scanning device. It was picking up the signals of an orbiting starship. And as his meditation became deeper, he didn't notice the three humans shimmering into existence behind him._

* * *

**NEPTUNE**

Waves of spatial distortion were bombarding the Romulan Warbird as it was in a tight parking orbit above southern region of the planet Neptune. Praefectus'alae Gnaeus, the Romulan commander, watched as his sub-commander, Praefectus fabrum G'atny, a female Romulan, tried her best to maintain communication with the forth, and final, probe that had been sent into Neptune's turbulent atmosphere in the hope of finding the highly elusive Omega particle.

She had even gone so far as taking control of the operations controls that were in contact with the probe, which was usually the task of one of her subordinates.

"Status report," Gnaeus asked.

"The conditions of the planet's atmosphere are affecting the stability of the probe," G'atny replied.

"Yes," Gnaeus said, "you have told us this now for nearly seventy-two cycles. If this probe fails then we all fail; and I will not accept that."

"Praefectus," G'atny replied, "if this probe fails, punishment will not be required. I will demand the Final right of Abstergo."

"If that is what you wish then I will allow you to do so."

The Final right of Abstergo was reserved only for officer ranks of the Romulan military. It was a ritualistic suicide ceremony to save the honor of one who has not performed to acceptable levels. It is done by a lower ranked officer so as to buffer the honor of the commanding officer of a given mission. It was the Romulan way; they valued honor above all else. Unlike other species in the cosmos that only valued violence, such as the Klingons and the Gorn.

This mission was to have been simple enough on the surface: Finding an Omega Particle. But there was more than just a simple layer to his journey to Earth's system.

For some time now the Romulan Empire was very interested in the progress of their cousins on Earth. Unknown to the Earthlings, the Romulans had kept an eye on their technical achievements for nearly a century. But this wasn't done with a casual eye. Someday, when the time was right, the Romulans would return to Earth and claim it as a colony.

Suddenly G'atny looked up to Gnaeus.

"Praefectus," she said with eyes wide open, "the probe just detected the presence of an Omega Particle."

"Are you certain?" Gnaeus asked.

"Yes," G'atny replied, her smiled denoting success.

The Omega Particle was actually a form of life, or so it was thought. According to the Vulcans it was a life form that was of a metaphysical nature that, in theory, existed outside the time continuum. Almost as if they were stitches keeping two different realities from colliding. Gnaeus had no idea what that meant, but the Vulcans were wise and seldom wrong.

The Vulcans also warned of the consequences harnessing such a being could bring. However, the Romulan Empire saw the risk worthy. The ever present threat of a Borg incursion into this part of the galaxy is what fueled the need to harness an Omega Particle. The last Borg incursion, when Gnaeus was just a child, caused destruction all across the quadrant. The Romulans would not allow that to happen again. It was a known fact that not only were Romulans hunting for the elusive particle, but so were the Klingons, the Gorn, and even the far off Cardassian Union. Survival and logic were hardly bedfellows. And if an Omega Particle weapon could save them from Borg assimilation; it would be used.

One of the Centurions came over to Gnaeus with a report.

"Praefectus," the Centurion said, "the Vultur is reporting that the Earth vessel is approaching the planet. It is the Reliant."

The Vultur was their sister ship. It had been assigned patrol of the planet during the excursion and probing of the planet Neptune.

"Isn't the Reliant the ship commanded by Gary Mitchell?" G'atny asked.

"It is indeed, Praefectus fabrum G'atny," Gnaeus replied with a smile. "You say this Omega Particle is creating the obstructions preventing us from obtaining it?"

"I do," G'atny replied. "Although the particle does not communicate in ways we can comprehend, it does, however, act in self- preservation."

"Then we shall let this starship captain join our quest," Gnaeus said.

G'atny shook her head. "You can't do that," she told him. "We have strict orders not to involve them in any way."

"I know of our orders," Gnaeus said to his second in command. "However, this is their world. Who are we to deny them domain?" Then Gnaeus walked over to a screen displaying the approaching USS Reliant, and the invisible Vultur to its port side. "I think it's time to meet Gary Mitchell. We know he is special; perhaps the Omega Particle will think so as well."

G'atny stood up and came over to Gnaeus.

"Is that wise? Introducing an Omega Particle to this human, who we both know possesses extreme powers, could create an aberration more destructive than the Borg," G'atny said with a silent, but present fear. "I think you should reconsider."

Gnaeus nodded in acknowledgment of G'atny's worry. It was indeed a very risky endeavor.

* * *

**Obaron IV**

Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy, and S.P.O.C.K., and the three survey team members, shimmered into existence on the beautiful planet of Obaron IV. McCoy was about to say something to Kirk when Kirk made a motion for him not to talk; for them all not to talk. McCoy understood, and then saw why Kirk has hushed him so quickly.

The heavily forested area, near a rock cliff, was just as beautiful as places just like it on Earth. It was an interesting sight to see similar plant life on such planets. But more interesting was what they saw towards the opening of trees just ahead.

In front of their position, and delicately balancing on a large rock face that over looked a stream below, was a being. McCoy took out his medical tricorder to try and get some readings of the alien being as Spock did the same with his science tricorder. Off in the distance was a small space craft of some kind. Kirk had never seen anything quite like it, but it was of a stunning angular design.

As Kirk looked at the strange alien, who was obviously lost in some kind of meditation, Kirk could not help but think about stories he had read and old pictures he had seen of native Americans who would go out to the wilderness to meditate like this; usually with the intent to die.

With the alien posing no threat, Kirk ordered the survey party to fan out and start initial scans of the planet.

Kirk walked over near to the alien, along with McCoy and Spock. The alien, his eyes still open, seemed to be in a far off trance.

The alien was biped, just like humans were. Though the alien we sitting on the large rock face, Kirk was able to estimate his height at around six feet five inches, maybe six inches. He was draped in a black cloak, and his skin was a strange green hue. His jet black hair flowed down the back of his head to the mid- range of his shoulder blades. Another striking feature was his ears. Kirk remembered reading the great books by Tolkien, and even collected the movies that were based on them. This alien's ears were not elfish at all, as in those books. They were of a more stoic nature and gave the alien a calm grace.

_The two humanoids and artificial beings had now surrounded him. They appeared to be Romulans, but he knew they were not. The human male who appeared to be in command had a strong will, and would make an interesting conversation piece. The other human was more abrupt with his emotions. But it was the artificial being that interested the Vulcan the most. The Vulcans had artificial beings that assisted in their exploration of space. But this one, this humanoid/android, was much different. It felt alive; there was only one thing to do. It would mean to act in a more non-Kolinar way; but such was the choice._

* * *

Kirk was thinking to himself that the alien, even in its still state, projected a wise demeanor. He watched as Spock scanned a strange device on the alien's wrist, which was barely exposed at the length of the cloak.

"Captain," Spock said, "the alien is wearing some sort of transmitting device. I believe it is relaying tactical data from the ship across the other side of the stream."

"Continue scans," Kirk said.

As McCoy was finishing up his medical scans of the alien, Kirk wondered to himself what the alien was called.

"I am a Vulcan," the alien's voice replied with a soft sound to its baritone voice.

And in one move the alien reached out and placed his fingers on the right side of S.P.O.C.K.S's artificial human head.

"Jim!" McCoy said with urgency.

Kirk ran over to where the alien was now standing, his long boney fingers stretched out across the right side of Spock's head.

"What is it doing?" McCoy asked.

"It doesn't seem to be hurting Spock. Spock, can you hear me?" Kirk asked his android experimental first officer.

There was no reply.

And then, without warning, Spock fell to the ground and the alien stood motionless. Kirk bent down to try and help Spock up, but was stopped by the hand of the alien who lifted Kirk back up to a standing position. McCoy drew out his hand held phaser.

"Stop!" McCoy demanded, afraid the alien was about to do to Kirk what it had done to Spock.

"It is not necessary for you to act in such a way, Doctor McCoy," The alien said as it released Kirk.

Kirk looked up at the alien who was roughly three inches taller than he was.

"What have you done to my crew member?" Kirk asked of the alien.

"Captain," the alien said, "I am Spock."

Continued…

Be sure to check out **STAR TREK THE PATH OF DESTINY!** It picks up where "The Galaxy Window" ended...Chakotay and Amaranth find yet another clue that will open up a hornet's nest of trouble!


	38. The Neptune Gambit

**STAR TREK: PHASE TWO**

**The Neptune Gambit**

**Near the Planet Neptune...**

The USS Reliant came to a dead stop as a Romulan Warbird de-cloaked directly in front of their position. The Warbird was nearly the size of the Enterprise.

The Reliant bridge crew was at a heightened sense of alert. Gary Mitchell, in the center seat, took in reports from his senior officers.

At weapons/Navigation was Lt. Nadya Chekov. Even though Nadya and Gary were lovers off the bridge, on the bridge they were complete professionals.

"Sir, weapons are reporting nominal," Chekov reported.

Mitchell nodded. "Just don't activate the targeting systems until I give the order," Mitchell said flatly.

"Of course Captain," Chekov replied. "But just in case we don't have enough time I'll keep my finger near the little red button."

Captain Mitchell smiled, and then pivoted his seat to face Science officer, Lt. Terry Farrell. She, just as Chekov, was a very attractive woman, and just as accomplished as her peers in her field. She had transferred over from the Lexington's crew during the Lexington's refit.

"Now," Captain Mitchell said to Lt. Farrell, "just how did that ship suddenly appear out of nowhere?" And then he added, "And please don't say you have insufficient data."

"No sir," Lt. Ferrell replied, "I won't say that. In fact, the bending of light is theoretically feasible. But to create one at this level, that can also mask system outputs on a vessel that large, is quite beyond where we are, though it can be done."

Gary nodded. Then he turned to his chief engineer who was an African-American male who wore special glasses that enhanced his vision; his name was Geordi LaForge. LaForge, although not completely blind, without his glasses, could still only see a pin-prick of light in either eye. The glasses enhanced those pricks of light with C.G.I. technology and rendered a visual spectrum. Not only did LaForge command engineering, he was also Gary Mitchell's first officer.

"What do you think Commander LaForge?" Gary asked. "This sounds like something up your aisle."

"Based on what Lt. Ferrell has said," Commander LaForge replied, "I would suggest that the Romulans use a lot of energy to even operate this device. Something to think about down the line should we find ourselves doing more than just talking with them."

Gary Mitchell pivoted his chair back to the main screen and stared at the Romulan vessel. The ship was obviously made to resemble some sort of flying eagle, with its swept back nacelles that gave the impression of wings. Although Mitchell wasn't with the Enterprise when that ship had encountered Romulans, he did get a full report from his best friend James T. Kirk.

Lt. Uval Narrin sat at the com station. His native land was Chad, on the African continent, but his family had moved to Iceland when he was a child. His rich African heritage gave him a stoic nature. And the fact he was nearly seven feet tall also made him a very valuable asset on the Reliant's basketball team. They had recently won the United Space Agency Tournament, out- scoring the Enterprise team; 107-93.

As Lt. Narrin scanned the space frequencies he was awarded with his diligence.

"Captain, we are receiving a hail from the Romulans," Lt. Narrin said, without taking his eyes of his monitors.

"It's about time;" Gary said. "On screen."

The image of Neptune, which was just ahead of the Reliant, was replaced by the cold stare of a Romulan commander. Gary had viewed the Enterprise's first encounter, and could tell immediately that this wasn't the same Romulan that Kirk had first encountered.

And then the Romulan spoke.

"This is the Romulan Vessel Vultur. We are on a peaceful mission to the world you have designated Neptune. I am sub-Praefectus'alae Grenyor," the Romulan said.

Captain Gary Mitchell stared back at the Romulan. Gary, with his strange ability, could tell that the Romulan was containing more information than he was revealing.

"I am Captain Gary Mitchell of the Starship USS Reliant," Gary replied. "We have been sent to Neptune to investigate anomalous signals one of our probes detected."

"Our sister ship, the Prey'ftor, is conducting scientific studies in orbit of Neptune. I have been instructed to escort you to her position so as you might assist in this matter," Grenyor replied.

"Very well," Gary said. "We would appreciate this chance to assist you in anyway."

The screen went dark, and returned to the image of the Romulan vessel as it reversed course toward Neptune. The Reliant followed.

Commander LaForge walked down to Captain Mitchell's command chair.

"I'm wondering," Leforge said, "What he would have said if you had ordered them to leave Neptune, given that this is our world right?"

"I had thought about it," Mitchell replied. "But if they are up to something, which I'm sure they are, well then perhaps a little detente is in order."

Mitchell stood up from his command seat and walked over to the science station on the upper ring of the bridge. First Officer LaForge walked with him.

"Lt. Ferrell," Mitchell said to the science officer. "What exactly are these anomalous signals we are talking about?"

"The A-7 Probe, which incidentally was launched by China in 2018, is orbiting Despina, one of the inner moons orbiting the Neptune. Three days ago it detected waves of energy it could not identify." The monitor at her post showed an image of the planet and zeroed in on what would be the 'southern' region of the planet. The image showed what seem to be ambient energy patterns coming from the planet. "We believe," Ferrell added, "that those waves of energy are being pushed out from Neptune by some unnatural means."

"The Romulans?" LaForge asked. "Why would they be doing this, and without letting us know about it? I think you need to be a little more demanding of them sir." LaForge said to Mitchell.

"I know," Gary agreed. "But we're not up here to start an intergalactic war. However," Gary said, "just keep the ship on alert status. You never know what may happen."

"Of course," Commander LaForge replied.

The Reliant continued on her way towards Neptune, and in the wake of the Vultur.

-

**Obaron IV in system Wolf-359**

The alien reached out and places his fingers on the side of S.P.O.C.K.'s android head.

And then, without warning, Spock fell to the ground and the alien stood motionless. Kirk bent down to try and help Spock up, but was stopped by the hand of the alien who lifted Kirk back up to a standing position. McCoy drew out his hand held phaser.

"Stop!" McCoy demanded, afraid the alien was about to do to Kirk what it had done to Spock.

"It is not necessary for you to act in such a manner, Doctor McCoy," the alien said as it released Kirk.

Kirk looked up at the alien who was roughly three inches taller than he was.

"What have you done to my crew member?" Kirk asked of the alien.

"Captain," the alien said, "I am Spock."

"You're Spock?" Kirk asked the alien. "Excuse me, but I find that to be in very bad taste."

If an observer had happened upon this strange first contact between beings from different worlds they might have laughed; and why not? With the exotic sounds of forest life around them, the humans, and the lone Vulcan, were indeed meeting for the first time. And it was the classic case of mistaken identity.

"No Captain Kirk," the alien said. "You do not understand. I am a Vulcan. We have the ability to touch the minds of others. Unfortunately my mind was unprepared for the unique nature of Spock's matrix. I knew he was an artificial being. However, I was unaware of his being. Now, it would appear, our minds have fused."

McCoy shook his head. "Just great," McCoy said in his usual sardonic tone, "we come all this way, come down to this nice alien world, and then meet an alien. Then our Android first officer just simply takes over his mind. CNN is going to love this."

"Doctor," the Vulcan said, "I initiated the contact with Spock. It was I who…"

"Wait a second," Kirk said, "you just said you are Spock. By the way, just to set the record straight, my name is Captain James T. Kirk. We are on a peaceful…"

Spock held up his hand right hand, and in a strange gesture, he separated his fingers and made what appeared to be a V shape with his fingers.

"I am now Spock, of Vulcan," the Vulcan said. "However bizarre it may appear, I am a joined being called Spock. I find the situation," and then the Vulcan arched his right eyebrow, "fascinating."

"Oh God," McCoy said, "He even talks like Daystrom."

"Is there someone you wish for us to contact?" Kirk asked. "Doctor McCoy here might be able to help in some manner."

"While I have the greatest respect for the Doctor, I am not quite sure how he can help in this matter, Captain. Perhaps another Vulcan could find the means to separate our minds. Yet, I must say, that the fusion of our minds even goes to the basic nature of who we are: The Katra, our living spirit."

"Where can we find another Vulcan?" Kirk asked.

"Jim, perhaps we can find a Vulcan at the City in Space in the Proxmia system?" McCoy suggested.

"A very logical assumption, Doctor McCoy," Spock said to McCoy, "Unfortunately there are no Vulcans there at this time. I would suggest a visit to my home-world, if you could work it into your mission protocol," Spock said to Kirk.

"If we can work it into our protocols?" Kirk repeated with a slight smile. "It's the least we can do. Would you like to refer to you with another name? You must have another name other than Spock."

"I'm crossing my fingers," McCoy added.

"I regret to inform you Doctor McCoy that my Vulcan name cannot be pronounced by any Earth language or dialect, thus Spock will have to do for now," Spock said in a matter of fact tone.

Kirk flipped opened his communicator. "Kirk to Enterprise; scan around the nearby foliage for the survey team and beam them up after you beam the doctor, Spock's android construct, which you will find deactivated about three feet from where I stand, myself, and," Kirk paused, "our visitor up first."

_"Aye Captain,"_ Scotty's voice said, _"but first I must have the designated code for beam up."_

"The beam-up code is queen to king's level one," Kirk said.

"A very simple move captain," Spock said. "Perhaps you should consider using a three dimensional chess grid for coding."

"There is no such game called three dimensional chess," Kirk said to Spock.

"On Vulcan there is," Spock replied.

_"What was that?"_ Scotty asked.

"Never mind Mr. Scott," Kirk said. "Just go ahead and beam us up."

_"Aye sir,"_ was Scotty's reply.

And then Kirk, McCoy, the Spock Construct, and the Vulcan, shimmered away.

-

**EARTH; MOSCOW  
Putin International Airport.**  
A nice Sunny day.

Police Inspector Andreev Belikov waited inside the large terminal, reading the latest issue of Popular Mechanics, none of it he really understood. He had been waiting at the airport for nearly two hours, after battling the local traffic, and finding a place to park his car. But it was worth the wait.

Inspector Belikov had been investigating the strange death of two men. Their bodies had been found in a cheap motel on the outskirts of Moscow, drenched in blood, their throats slashed. No suspect had been found, as of yet, but Belikov had his suspicions. One of the victims, Ivan Solovyovs, had last been seen alive at the extravagant party thrown that same night at the Chekov estate. His own quiet interviews led him to his belief that both men, after a night of sexual romping with his secret suspect, were then killed by the suspect; she being Nadya Chekov; Russia's greatest heroine. But to suggest such a thing about someone from a powerful family could cost Belikov his career, and even his life.

There was one family member, however, that Inspector Belikov trusted. He was the eldest son of Mikiel Chekov, and the older brother of Nadya Chekov. His name was Pavel Chekov. Belikov had once assisted Pavel Chekov after thieves had broken into his home. Chekov had once told him, after the thieves were captured and the items stolen had been returned, that he owed the Inspector a favor. It was now time to collect on that debt. Belikov could only hope that Pavel Chekov would assist, if he could. Assist in proving that his younger sister, the world famous Nadya Chekov, was a cold blooded killer.

-  
**Legrange Georgia; United States**.

Gretchen Bennett stood upon a hill and looked down on the mansion that had been part of her family since the end of the American Civil War. It had been passed down through several generations.

Gretchen Bennett was a large African-American woman, weighing nearly two-hundred and fifty pounds. But for every one of those pounds; was a happy woman, who was very proud of her adopted Caucasian son; Leonard McCoy. McCoy's parents were killed in a car accident, and Gretchen, who had been friends with McCoy's mother, offered to adopt the young child and raise him; and so she did. She loved to come up the hill, look down at the house, and relive the old times when Leonard was a child, and life was so innocent.

From a distance, at another large old style plantation mansion, a man stared at Gretchen through binoculars. His name was Lloyd Denue. He knew that in the coming years or so, his past, and Gretchen's past, would collide and; he would kill her and anyone who stood in his way.

Continued…


	39. Assimilation Complete

**STAR TREK: PHASE TWO**

**Assimilation Complete**

**The USS Enterprise zooming through space…**

The Enterprise, after Captain Kirk explained the unique situation with S.P.O.C.K. and the Vulcan, was granted permission from Starfleet to take the Vulcan back to his home-world. Colonel Pike agreed with Kirk that this was a good opportunity to interact with what appeared to be a peaceful alien race.

Upon storing the Vulcan's small craft, the Enterprise was soon on its way. The journey to Vulcan would take three weeks at maximum, and would allow the Enterprise to map its trip there, and back. That kind of new information was more than worth the effort to go to such a far off world.

The coordinates were provided by the Vulcan alien, whose mind was still fused with that of the S.P.O.C.K. android. That upon itself was hard for Kirk, McCoy, and now Scotty, to say the very least the rest of the crew of the Enterprise, to fathom. How could an artificially created android's mind, or conciseness, merge with a living being? Kirk, deep inside, knew it was possible with Spock. Both he, and Guinan, knew that there was something different about the android's creation. But this? This was even hard for them to believe.

But what about having an alien aboard? Kirk knew that his crew would experience things that would not only introduce them to other civilization, but also, hopefully, a new level of understanding and acceptance of those who were different. After McCoy assured Kirk that there was no possible contamination from the alien, and that the alien was safe as well, Kirk allowed it to happen. Now, all there was to do was enjoy the voyage and let the science department go crazy over all the new data the Enterprise was collecting.

James T. Kirk walked into the engineering section of the Enterprise. It had been two days since they had departed Obaron IV, on their way to Vulcan. He found Scotty over by the massive warp engine, which was still experimental, but was working just fine thus far.

"Cap'n," Scotty said as he was observing one of this techs working at the main controls of the engine.

"How is it holding up?" Kirk said motioning to the engine. "We didn't expect to get this far out so fast."

Scotty nodded, "Oh, they're doing just fine. We Scots know how to make things that last."

Sulu, who Kirk didn't know was even in engineering, stuck his head out from one of the Jefferies tubes. "Mr. Scott, if you make them so well," Sulu said, "then why is it only a Japanese man can fit inside of these damn things to do your diagnostics."

"What's he doing?" Kirk asked.

"Well," Scotty said, "we're just checking the innards to make sure they're taking the stress."

"What about the J-23 circuit?" Kirk asked.

"Oh, ye know about that one, do you?" Scott asked. He looked to Sulu. "Well?"

The J-23 circuit was one of the main cross lines that helped regulate the anti-matter flow pockets.

"It's nominal," Sulu replied as he climbed out of the Jefferies tube.

Kirk put his hand on Scott's shoulder.

"I want to thank you again for flying our visitor's ship up to the Enterprise," Kirk said. "I was afraid he might try to make a run for it if we let him do it himself."

"Captain, I know it may sound crude, but so what? What if he had just gone on his way and we had lost Spock? It's not as if Spock is alive and is a real crew member."

Kirk was kind of upset to see outright bigotry on his ship. Sure, Spock and other androids were not citizens. But the military had gone so far as to allow them to have rank over civilians, Spock being the first to have that distinction. So, in Kirk's mind, they were living beings, artificial, all they needed was an advocate. Kirk was hoping Spock would have been just that. But now, with the merging of Spock with the Vulcan, that seemed a minute thought.*

"Perhaps," Kirk replied, "but Starfleet would not have made him second in command if they didn't think the Spock unit could have carried out his duties. Dr. Daystrom, I think, has created a miracle."

Sulu smiled. "As you wish sir," Sulu said. "But I guess we may never get to know now."

Kirk let Scotty and Sulu get back to their work and headed towards the Vulcan's guest quarters. He was to meet with the Vulcan at 1400 to discuss the situation, and, at Starfleet's request, see what kind of information about galactic concerns he could get.

-

**Somewhere in the Galaxy; the Planet D'nota **

Panic gripped the entire world of D'nota. Billions of beings, who resembled humans, but who had various hues of purple skin, hurried about in sheer chaos. Children were trampled on, the elderly shoved out of the way by a panicked populace that had no escape from what was happening to their world.

When the Borg came to assimilate a world, they came without warning. A thousand or so Borg flew their craft down to the defenseless world. Each Borg drone was meant for a particular citizen of the D'nota world. These citizens were deemed to have valuable knowledge and skills the Borg would acquire; that is what the Borg did. Only a thousand or so were considered valuable enough to absorb; the others would all die.

The list of those worthy for assimilation had been gathered by reconnaissance probes that had been sent nearly three months prior and then gathered data from the D'nota media outlays. Once the data on those to become part of the Collective had been finalized, the Borg would go, immediately, to assimilate not only their new drones, but to quite literally destroy the world for its valuable minerals, and also to collect its water resources. For this process the Borg had built the large Planet Killers** for this task. The Planet Killers would literally slice up the world and then devour the planet. The innards of the Planet Killer would absorb the valuable assets of the planet. But first, the Assimilation of the drones happened first.

A small D'nota child could only watch as a Borg drone smashed into the small abode, grabbed the child's father. A beam lashed out of the Borg's left eye and sliced, in essence scalped, the top portion of the adult D'nota's head off. But before the D'nota could die, the Borg placed a device, an Assimilator, at the top of the brain of its victim, and then connected the hardware that came with the device. Each assimilator was specifically made for each drone. The Borg then switched a button on its macabre armored plated body, and the two, the Borg drone and its new Assimilate, were teleported away.

It was a scene that was repeated all over the world as, one by the one, the Borg captured the new drones. Then, once it was certain that at least eighty percent were obtained, the rest of the Borg drones evacuated the world. And then the two Planet Killers, each 5 miles long in length, began to slice up the world. The population of D'nota was nearly eight Billion. But in a span of two hours, from the moment the Borg invaded and found their victims, and to when the world was sliced up, usually into eight to twelve large chunks, the population of that species was generally reduced to a thousand or so at best.

And, once the entire endeavor was done, the Borg command ship, which was the size of a large city and in the shape of a cube, with the Planet Killers in tow, headed back out to space.

D'nota was a world no more.

-

**MOSCOW  
**_**Slight and constant rain; late afternoon.**_

Pavel Chekov sat in Inspector Belikov's office in downtown Moscow. Chekov listened patiently as Belikov told him the strangest tale. And then the tale was over.

"So Inspector," Pavel Chekov said, "let me get this straight. You believe my sister was contaminated by some alien parasite on Mars. And that this was kept secret from the United Space Agency by Captain Mitchell, and she was allowed to come back to Earth as if nothing happened. And, not only is she back, but this parasite now controls her mind, from time to time, and forces her to kill because, well, that's just what they do."

Belikov nodded. "Oh, I'm sure I am off on some of the details. But yes, Pavel, that is the truth. My contact in the United Space Agency told me the rumors of some incident on Mars when that first team went up there. Your sister was on the second team that was sent up there."

"Even if I believed you, how do I prove it?" Pavel said. "You told me yourself that the motel manager wouldn't identify the woman who was with Ivan and his male lover."

"The manager wouldn't identify the person because they know it's your sister and they don't want to get involved; afraid of your father and mother's reach," Belikov came back with.

Pavel thought long and hard about what had been said. He stood and headed for the exit.

"If you don't help me," Inspector Belikov said, "I'll be forced to go more public. I am not a fool, and I know I am risking my career following this up. But;" Belikov said, "This is my job."

Pavel put his heavy rain jacket on and turned to face Belikov.

"Alright," Chekov said, "I will look into this. Your theory is not without merit; just don't do anything until I contact you."

With that said, Chekov opened the door to Belikov's door at Police Headquarters and left.

Continues...

_*Though, long time readers know that the DATA unit has already been mentioned way back. We will see DATA down the line._

**Which look just like the Doomsday Machine


	40. The Gloves come Off!

**STAR TREK: PHASE TWO**

**The Gloves come Off!**

* * *

**Neptune  
The USS Reliant, and two Romulan Warbirds are in a parking orbit in the 'southern' region of the planet.**

Gary Mitchell stood on the Transporter Deck with Lt. Ferrell. They were preparing to beam over to the Romulan Warbird. First officer Commander Geordi La Forge, who was also the ship's chief engineer, came into the Transporter room just as Mitchell and Ferrell took their spots on the Transporter pad.

"Here to see us off?" Gary asked the blind Commander LaForge.

"Do you write your own material sir?" LaForge asked with a smile.

"God I hope not," Lt. Ferrell added.

"Listen," Gary said to him. "I don't like how these Romulan ships can just pop up out of nowhere unannounced. Start working on some kind of counter-measure."

"I will sir. And if I don't hear from you or Lt. Ferrell in a half hour, I'm going to cause a ruckus. Trust me Captain Mitchell, there isn't anything more intimidating than a blind man gone crazy with anger," LaForge said.

"I'll keep that in mind," Gary responded with a polite smile.

And then, moments later, both Gary and Lt. Terry Ferrell shimmered away.

* * *

**Romulan Vessel Prey'ftor**

The sights and sounds of another Federation Starship were one thing, Captain Gary Mitchell thought to himself as he, and his science officer, Lt. Ferrell, walked alongside Praefectus'alae Gnaeus aboard the Romulan Warbird Prey'ftor. But the sights and sounds of an alien starship were another entirely different animal. The exotic scents and the darkened green hued lighting gave the ship a very mysterious feel to it.

"I trust this is your first visit to an alien ship?" Gnaeus asked of both Mitchell and Ferrell.

"Yes it is," Gary replied. "I must admit that my world has many questions pertaining to Captain Kirk's first encounter with your kind and the Gorn."

"I'm sure these questions will be answered in due time," Gnaeus said.

As they headed towards the science department aboard the Prey'ftor, Gnaeus had to keep his mind focused just in case Mitchell had some sort of telepathy. What Gary Mitchell did not know was the Gnaeus was well aware of some aspects of Gary's mysterious powers, thanks to Gnaeus's ally; Khan. If Gary Mitchell had these powers manifesting inside of him, Gnaeus reasoned, it was even more suspicious now since an Omega Particle was also in the same solar system. The odds were too immense to be mere coincidence. Perhaps Mitchell and the Omega Particle, which had so far proven to be difficult to remove from the depths of Neptune's atmosphere, had more in common than just sharing the same solar system.

"I'm sure my world's government," Gary said, "will have some issue with an alien craft in our solar system without our knowing about it."

Gnaeus nodded in understanding as he led Gary and Lt. Ferrell into the science section of the Romulan Warbird.

"Trust me when I say," Gnaeus said, "that our being here is entirely of a scientific nature and with absolutely no strategic value."

"Of course," Gary replied with a smile, and not believing a word of what the Romulan said. "I just wanted to be forthright with you."

"I appreciate the gesture," Gnaeus said. "I think, in time, our two worlds will find much common ground to perhaps, one day, forge an alliance."

"An alliance implies there is a need for shared protection," Lt. Ferrell said, innocently enough.

"All in good time," Gnaeus replied and then he changed the subject. "This is our main science lab. You are welcomed to observe my crew," Gnaeus said, motioning to the large science department.

"What kind of science observations are you making?" Lt. Ferrell asked as she observed the monitors. The displays were detailed with Roman numbering and letters, which Ferrell had studied up on, as did all United Space Agency, upon knowledge of the Romulan usage of them when Kirk's first mission returned. She looked at one of the monitors and then back to Gnaeus. "What is an Omega Particle?"

Gnaeus was impressed with the humans. They obviously had educated themselves on the Roman aspects of their past. And since the human female felt confident to reveal this fact, it also meant the humans were becoming more assertive. They would make perfect servants in the future, Gnaeus concluded.

Gnaeus was about to respond when Praefectus fabrum G'atny, the Prey'ftor's main science officer, answered the question for Gnaeus.

"The Omega Particle," she told them, "is a very rare element in the galaxy. Its properties are hard to define in that they may be affected by forces beyond our space time continuum."

"Interesting," Gary said. "So what will you do with this particle if you find it?"

"We will remove it, "Gnaeus said. "If not contained properly, the Omega Particle could become unstable and destroy this entire solar system."

Gary and Lt. Ferrell exchanged worried glances.

* * *

**USS Enterprise**  
**Traveling at Warp Factor Eight, on its way to the planet Vulcan.**

Captain James T. Kirk was in his quarters, sharing a meal with Spock. It was the first time that Kirk had been able to really sit down and really meet with the visitor. Spock was eating from a plate of pees, artichokes and what appeared to be Navy bean soup minus the beans.

"I'm sorry I haven't had much time to spend with you," Kirk said as he cut into the chicken steak on his own plate. "I've been pretty busy."

"No offense taken, Captain Kirk," the Vulcan stated.

"Do you have a designation?" Kirk asked as he took in a fork of food.

"As I told Dr. McCoy, I'm afraid that my Vulcan name could not be pronounced with the limited range of sounds your language provides," the Vulcan said. "Now as for your question about my designation, I have resigned myself to the fact that for now, and most likely for the rest of my nature life, I will go by the designation of Spock."

"Don't you think your people will be able to find a way to delink the two of you?" Kirk asked.

"The unique nature of the Spock consciousness may preclude that," Spock said. "I assume by the way you are looking at me that you didn't consider Spock a living being?"

"Not exactly," Kirk corrected Spock. "I did know there was something special about the Spock unit. He and I, I mean you and me, oh hell whatever, we have had some quite interesting conversations over the year or so I have interacted with you. And I might add that Guinan has been aware of your uniqueness as well. Perhaps by keeping this a secret between us we have endangered your life now. For that I am deeply sorry."

Spock looked at Kirk.

"There is no need for regrets," Spock said as he took in two pees on his fork. "It was I who acted on impulse and forced the Mind-meld, so it is I who must bear the responsibility."

"Mind-meld... what is that?" Kirk asked.

"My species has the innate ability to touch minds other than our own. One such method is the Mind-meld. We can literally read the memories and thoughts of those we are in contact with. However I must say we only use this ability with permission from those whom we wish to meld with."

"When you did this mind-meld with Spock, did his knowledge and experiences get passed along as well? Do you remember the Clark/Dennison mission for example?" Kirk asked.

"Yes Captain. Those events are still part of my memory, including several memories and programs that were buffered in a previously unattainable alcove in my matrix," Spock replied.

"Anything I should know?" Kirk asked.

"It is hard to say. I am still trying to access their meanings and purpose. The Vulcan brain is far more advanced than that of a human, but even still, the memory transfer is being absorbed as best it can. However, I can tell you, that Doctor Daystrom was working on a companion matrix called the D.A.T.A. The aspect of this that will interest you is that the Data brain matrix was later purchased by the late senator, John Gill."

Kirk didn't like the sound of that all, but would table it for now.

"I don't mean to sound like an interrogator," Kirk said.

"Do not worry Captain Kirk," Spock said, "You are only acting in a most logical way."

"Thanks," Kirk said. "I am not often thought of as a logical person. Anyway; what is it like out here? My world, Earth, is just starting to explore beyond our system. And any advice, or even just basic knowledge of the various alien species we might encounter, would be most helpful."

"I can tell you that my planet, Vulcan, is a member world of an organization, a Federation if you will, of other like-minded worlds that explore the vastness of space for peaceful reasons," Spock said. "Your world, of what I know of it, has been off limits due to the immaturity of your species. Now that you have attained the ability to explore space on a galactic level, I am quite sure your world will be approached to join. My father Sarek represents my world at the Federation assembly. Perhaps when we get to Vulcan you can meet with my father and he can see to this matter."

"What can you tell me about the Romulans?" Kirk asked.

Although Spock was quite skilled at maintaining what Kirk would call a poker face, or lack of emotions to others, the mention of the Romulans did cause a minute change in the Vulcan's demeanor.

"Captain Kirk," Spock said, "until you are a member world of the Federation, I am bound by one of our most cherished edicts: The Prime Directive. It forbids us from interfering in the natural progression, and maturity, of a non-member world. However, I can state a matter of fact. The Romulans are not a member of the Federation."

"Can I take from what you just said that by not joining this Federation of yours that the Romulans do not consider the exploration of space as a peaceful endeavor?" Kirk asked as the tone of the conversation turned serious.

"I regret to say that, at this time, I cannot answer such questions. I am quite sure that my father can engage in a more official conversation once we reach Vulcan," Spock replied.

Kirk nodded. "Well," Kirk said, "I understand. So your father is the Ambassador from your world to this Federation? You must be proud."

"Vulcans do not apply such layers upon our relationships," Spock said. "It is what it is, and my father is quite accomplished at his position."

The two continued to talk about their two very different worlds. And as Kirk listened to this Vulcan, he found himself liking the Vulcan. How much of it was the Vulcan or how much of it was S.P.O.C.K., Kirk did not know.

Kirk also realized that the Romulans, down the line, could pose a problem. Especially if Earth joined the Federation Spock spoke of. How would Earth's so called cousins, the Romulans, take such an event?

* * *

**NEPTUNE**  
**Romulan Warbird Prey'ftor**

Praefectus fabrum G'atny explained to Captain Mitchell and Lt. Ferrell about the coming launch of their forth probe into Neptune's atmosphere.

"We have already launched three such probes," she told them. "This is our fourth and final chance to obtain the particle.

"If it is as unstable as you say it is," Lt. Ferrell said, "why risk removing it? Perhaps it is here to prevent easy access to it."

G'atny shot Ferrell a look of annoyance.

"I know as a new space faring race," G'atny told Ferrell, "this kind of information may be intimidating. You must trust that we have much more knowledge and are using it in a way that will best serve us, and in the same process, protect your world."

Gary recognized a dressing down when he saw one. And he was starting to find the Romulans arrogance too much to tolerate. The anger was starting to grow inside of him.

At Gnaeus's silent urging, G'atny steered Lt. Ferrell away from where Gnaeus was standing with Captain Mitchell. It was time.

"Captain Mitchell," Gnaeus said, "I would like to speak with you now about certain aspects of our shared history with your world."

"Sure," Gary said. "I'd like that," Gary added with a smile. Inside of him, the evil wanted to squish the Romulan's head and kill him.

Gary followed Gnaeus through a passageway and then into another room. Once they were inside the other room, the lights went out and the room was totally dark. A strange electromagnetic energy pattern, like that of tiny lightning bolts, surrounded the entire room. A piercing pain suddenly erupted inside of Gary's mind. It was a trap!

Then a small beam of light shined on Gnaeus, who stood directly before Gary. It was as if they existed in another reality, just the two of them, and the two guards, in the darkness.

As Gary fell to his knees in pain, two Romulans bounded his wrists behind his back and then they forced him back up.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gary demanded. "This is an act of war!"

"First off," Gnaeus, "your world will soon be ours. Your pathetic defenses will pose absolutely no threat. What was once ours will be ours again, in time."

"We'll see about that," Gary said with a sadistic smile.

"Oh," Gnaeus added with a sneer, "we are very aware of your unique abilities Captain Gary Mitchell," Gnaeus said with his own sneering smile. "We know you used your mind and altered the course of that comet that crashed into your world. You should know that you're not the first of your kind we have encountered. So trust me when I say that this kind of enclosure will contain your power."

"How do you know of my power?" Gary demanded.

"Because I told them," another voice said from just ahead in the shadows.

It was a voice that Gary Mitchell recognized immediately. His memory was rewarded when Khan Noonien Singh stepped out from the shadows.

"You fucking son-of-a-bitch!" Gary Mitchell's words exploded from his mouth.

Khan smiled.

"So, Gary Mitchell," Khan said, "Have you told Kirk yet that it was you who killed all those people on that island, including his son?"

"You have done well," Gnaeus said to Khan.

Without warning, Khan balled his fist and punched Gary square in the mouth, breaking three teeth that fell to the ground alongside Gary's fallen body and a spray of blood as well. Khan looked over at Gnaeus, who then nodded, and then Khan then left the room.

Gnaeus looked down at Mitchell, who had fallen to the ground after the punch. Gnaeus snapped his fingers and the two guards, again, forced Mitchell to his feet.

"I'm sorry that had to happen," Gnaeus said in mock sorrow. "However, take solace in knowing that the pain to come will surely be even more intense. Your Lt. Dax was right. We can't get the Omega Particle off that world. You, and what you are, will lure it right to us."

Gary tried to reach out with his mind to kill the Romulan, as he had tried to do with Khan, but he couldn't. All he could do was save his strength and wait for the opportunity to strike. And he would.

Continued


	41. The Truth Will Hurt!

**STAR TREK: PHASE TWO**

**The Truth will Hurt!**

**NEPTUNE  
Two Warbirds and the Enterprise in parking orbit over the southern region of the planet.**

Geordi was sitting in the command chair. The waves of energy were pulsating from the planet below, making communications with the Romulans difficult. The transporter locks on Captain Mitchell and Lt. Ferrell were stable. However, in the past fifteen minutes, the Captain's lock was in a light fluctuation pattern. Geordi pivoted the command chair to face Communications officer Landry at her station.

"I don't like this," Geordi said. "We knew there would be signal loss from time to time because of the electromagnetic waves, but this is getting to be too much. Why isn't it affecting Ferrell's lock as much as it is the Captain's? Try hailing the Romulans again," Uhura told Landry.

"I still can't penetrate the interference," Communications officer Landry replied. "Why don't we just beam them back and ask questions later?"

"I agree," Chekov said from the Navigation. "We should just beam them back."

Geordi thought for a moment. "Alright," he told them. "I'm going to the Transporter room to beam them over myself. Chekov; you've got the Conn."

Geordi hurried up to the Turbo-lift, on his way to the Transporter Room.

* * *

**Romulan Warbird**

Praefectus'alae Gnaeus watched as Gary Mitchell, bounded by several restraints, and kept in check by a series of electromagnetic lines threaded over his body, was lowered into the last of the Romulan probes. As Gary was being lowered, he looked over to Gnaeus.

"You better pray Romulan," Gary said to Gnaeus, "that this cage of yours doesn't fail. If it does, I will kill you," Gary said with a stern, lifeless look even, on his face.

Gnaeus did not respond to Gary's warning. The Romulan only watched with ice cold eyes as Gary was lowered into position.

"The female is asking questions as to where her Commander is," one of the Centurions said, walking over to Gnaeus.

"Kill her, immediately," Gnaeus said. "I'm quite sure after what happens here we will no longer be polite neighbors with our so called cousins. One less person they can use in war; so much the better."

The Centurion nodded, and left to carry out his duty.

* * *

**USS RELIANT**

Geordi entered the Transporter room and motioned for the on-duty Transporter technician, and operator, Ensign Mandy Langford, to vacate the controls.

"Stand back," Geordi. "This Transport may prove complicated."

"Yes sir," Langford replied. She knew that no one knew how to operate the Transporter Machine better on the Reliant than Commander Geordi La forge.

* * *

**Romulan Warbird**

Lt. Ferrell, with a worried look on her face, stood with Praefectus fabrum G'atny, the female science officer of the Prey'ftor, when the Centurion came through the entrance and walked toward them.

"Could you please tell me where my Captain is?" Lt. Ferrell asked.

In one move, the Romulan walked up to Ferrell, reached around her head, pulled her by the hair, and slammed her head to the table. Then he removed a ceremonial execution dagger from his side, as Ferrell screamed, and then in a quick motion, as Ferrell began to protest, cut her head clean off at the midsection of the neck. Her body fell to the ground as blood poured out. And then, suddenly, Ferrell's body, her head, which was still held by the Centurion, and the Centurion himself, were beamed away.

Geordi La Forge watched as the shimmering affect cleared. His instincts took over as he saw it the situation correctly, and without hesitation, Geordi took the emergency phaser that was on the wall behind the console, and fired it at the Romulan who was holding Lt. Ferrell's head; killing him.

"Eye for an eye, you asshole," Geordi said as the Romulan fell to his death.

Geordi knew he could face charges down the line when this entire situation was investigated by command, and it would be, but he didn't care.

Then Geordi slammed his hand on the com switch.

"Red alert; battle stations! Ready all weapons. THIS IS NOT A DRILL! PREPARE TO FIRE PHASERS!" Geordi yelled.

* * *

**Romulan Warbird**

Gnaeus emerged from the holding room where Gary Mitchell had been held. The probe that Mitchell was inside of was being prepared to be launched into Neptune's atmosphere.

"They Transported back the female," G'atny reported quickly.

Suddenly the Romulan vessel was rocked.

"The Reliant is firing on us!," The Romulan weapons officer reported.

* * *

**Inside the Romulan probe...**

Gary Mitchell was in a world of darkness. There was no lighting inside of the probe; just cold darkness. And then the probe was rocked by motion. He felt the energy restraints that were laced around his body fluctuate. And then, in an instant, Gary's mind reached out.

* * *

Inside the depths of Neptune's atmosphere, a life came into being. And in the fraction of an instant when Gary reached out with his mind, the life recognized Gary's own unique imprint upon the universe and saw it as its own. At last unification had come.

* * *

The other Romulan vessel, the Vultur, fired its disrupters at the Reliant, and positioned itself between the Prey'ftor and the Reliant, Just then; the Prey'ftor fired the probe, containing Gary Mitchell, into the atmosphere of the planet.

Gnaeus watched on the main screen of the Romulan Warbird's bridge as the probe entered Neptune's atmosphere. In mere seconds the probe would release Gary Mitchell into the Atmosphere.

"Keep a lock on Mitchell's corpse the moment it is ejected into the atmosphere," Gnaeus ordered the weapons station. "The moment the Omega Particle inside of Mitchell changes form, it only be vulnerable for a split second."

"My lord, the Warbird Imaris tried this on Triton IV with another advanced humanoid, and it did not work," G'atny said to Gnaeus in a hurried manner. "You may have risked war with Earth for no reason."

"Challenge my actions again," Gnaeus said to her, "And your head will be next!"

G'atny knew when to back down, and now was the time.

* * *

The Romulans were already too late. As Gary was expelled from the Probe, in what the Romulans hoped would a trap in order to catch what they called the Omega Particle inside of him and the one in Neptune's atmosphere, Gary didn't die. To be sure, he felt his body instantly dissolve. But it was, as Gary immediately found out, just a vessel for what was inside his soul.

In an instant he had evolved to a state of life that he could not describe. Everything in the universe was becoming small; infinitely without substance. Gary, or what had once been Gary Mitchell, could feel his existence being drawn to a special place beyond reality. But as the last light of humanity began to ebb from what he truly was, he willed himself to slow the evolution. Slow it just long enough to where he could make the last desperate acts of a being that had known what it was to be human. He could feel the evil inside him grow, and he wanted to destroy; and so he did.

He saw the face of Khan, who was aboard the Prey'ftor, melt into smeared blood, and even though Gary had no substance, and was no longer human, he still felt pleasure in seeing Khan in pain at last.

Moments later, the two Romulan Ships exploded, killing all board. Yet, the Reliant was shunted from the exploding Warbirds, pushed aside as it were, as the Romulan ships exploded and the waves of dispelled energy from Neptune lapped over where the Reliant had been locked in a fire fight with the Vultur.

The Reliant was safe; the ship had been spared by the being that was Gary, even though he wanted to kill everyone on board the Reliant as well; yet, he didn't. His loyalty to Kirk, his friend, wouldn't allow him. There was just one act to do before Gary Mitchell had lost of contact with this reality. He willed time to stop; and it did. With just a solitude thought, for a brief moment, time, through-out the infinite of space, stopped. Gary had one person to visit; Kirk.

-  
**The USS ENTERPRISE; nearing the Vulcan System**

James T. Kirk was dumbfounded. He had been in his quarters, pouring a glass of water, when the water stopped moving. As he looked around, everything had stopped moving. In fact, the fish that were in his aquarium had stopped swimming. Spock, who sat at the table, was now totally motionless. It was as if all time had come to a complete rest.

"Hello Jim," Kirk heard a voice say from behind. Before Kirk turned around to face the voice, he recognized it as Gary Mitchell's. And sure enough, as Kirk turned toward the voice in the main room, he saw that Gary Mitchell stood there; his eyes glowing with an eerie shade of neon blue.

"Gary?" Kirk asked. "What the hell is going on? How the hell did you get here?"

Gary Mitchell, his eyes glowing even brighter, looked to his friend; the best friend he had ever known and then he spoke the truth…

"I killed him, Jim," Gary said. "I killed David."

To Be Continued!

JIM KIRK vs GOD!

Hey...readers...don't forget to try **STAR TREK: FRANK GRAYSON**. What would you do if you dreamed a real USS ENTERPRISE into existence? Would you give it to the government? Would you use it to bring change to our messed up world? And what if bad people would do anything to take it from you...well...that is what Frank Grayson is going to have to deal with...STAR TREK: FRANK GRAYSON!


	42. God Thing

**The USS ENTERPRISE; nearing the Vulcan System**  
previously

_James T. Kirk was dumbfounded. He had been in his quarters, pouring a glass of water, when the water stopped moving. As he looked around, everything had stopped moving. In fact, the fish that were in his aquarium had stopped swimming. Spock, who sat at the table, was now totally motionless. It was as if all time had come to a complete rest._

_"Hello Jim," Kirk heard a voice say from behind. Before Kirk turned around to face the voice, he recognized it as Gary Mitchell's. And sure enough, as Kirk turned toward the voice in the main room, he saw that Gary Mitchell stood there; his eyes glowing with an eerie shade of neon blue._

_"Gary?" Kirk asked. "What the hell is going on? How did you get here?"_

_"I killed him Jim," Gary said. "I killed David."_

_OUR STORY CONTINUES…._

"What are you talking about Gary?" Kirk asked. "And why are you here? HOW are you here?" Kirk asked again.

Gary looked at Spock, as the Vulcan was sitting at the table frozen in time.

"He will be a good friend for you." Gary said. Then he looked back to his friend. "All my life I have had this feeling growing inside me, Jim. A feeling of complete evil, that's what it felt like. At first I thought it was because I was immoral, or just someone with a bad nature."

"Gary," Kirk said, "I have known you most of your life. We've been friends, we've beaten each other up, we've helped get each other girls, and you are not a bad person. Now," Kirk said, "what is going on here? Did you stow away on the Enterprise?"

"No," Gary said as he walked over to Kirk. He reached out his hands and put them on Kirk's shoulders. "Jim, I just found out, moments ago in fact, that I am a God."

"I see," Kirk said. "Is that why your eyes are glowing like that? Come on Gary, what is going on here?"

"Listen to me!" Gary said, his voice taking on an eerie echoing effect, before returning to normal. "My entire life has been an illusion, Jim. It has only been a facade. Inside of my soul, whatever makes me who I am, there has been the part of something else. Just moments ago I just destroyed two Romulan Warbirds with a simple thought, and saved the Reliant. I did those things Jim, and then I stopped time so that I could come here and say goodbye, and to let you know the truth... the truth about your son, David Marcus."

"What truth, Gary?" Kirk asked. "David died on that island with his kidnapper, and Gill, and all those others when the fragment hit the island and destroyed it."

Gary walked over to the dining table Spock sat at, frozen, and sat in the chair next to the Vulcan.

"There is so much more," Gary said as his eyes became normal. "Do you remember the day we found out that Garak had kidnapped David? Well," Gary said, "Khan contacted me on that very day."

"Khan is dead," Kirk stated.

"He is dead now," Gary said to Kirk. "He was on one of the Romulan vessels I just destroyed."

Obviously Kirk had no idea what Gary Mitchell was talking about, and he tried to say something to Gary but Gary raised his hand slightly, motioning for Kirk to be quiet and listen.

"Jim, there isn't enough time; just listen to me," Gary said, "Khan contacted me on that day and told me how to find your son. In exchange I had to destroy the island that Gill was on."

"What are you talking about?" Kirk asked as he too sat at the table across from Gary. "How could you destroy an island? And what does Khan have to do with this, since he was killed up on Mars?"

"He survived Jim, we all survived. I was able to project some kind of force bubble around myself, Chekov, and also, Khan, which I didn't know at the time."

"This is part of the evil power you spoke of before?" Kirk asked.

"Yes, and Khan knew I had the power. Somehow he also knew I had the power to re-direct one of the Clark/Dennison fragments, and send it to Earth to destroy the island. I did this in exchange for a picture of Garak so I could find him and kill him and save David. What Khan didn't tell me was that Garak, and David, were on that island. There was nothing I could do to stop the fragment from hitting the island."

Kirk shook his head.

"This is all very hard to believe," Kirk said softly.

Gary closed his eyes and willed the events and memories into Kirk's mind. Kirk saw it all, including the Neptune incident with the Romulans.

"You killed my son," Kirk said softly. "You bastard; you killed my son," Kirk said again.

"I know Jim, and I am so sorry." Gary said.

"And now you come to me for absolution?" Kirk asked in silent anger.

"No," Gary said with an evil smile. "The part of me, the dark part of me, enjoys seeing you in pain Jim. It makes me stronger."

Kirk stood up in anger.

"Why even tell me this now?" Kirk demanded. "You're a murderer, Gary!" Kirk said as he gingerly backed towards his shelf. "He was my son!"

"I was trying to save him!" Gary said. "I didn't want your son to die. I didn't want any of this!" Gary said smashing his hand down on the table. "You were my friend, Jim, and that is the only reason you are not dead."

"What about Chekov?" Kirk asked, now with the Gary's memories of what had happened with Chekov. "She has one of those things inside her, you saw her kill those two men in your mind, and you just let her go on?!"

"Leave her out of this!" Gary countered. "I love that woman, and no one will harm her, including you Jim."

Suddenly Kirk whirled around, after facing the shelf for a brief second, but now he was holding one of the new phaser-rifles.

"What are you going to do?" Gary asked in laughter. "Kill me!?" As he spoke, the sounds of thousands and thousands of screams could be heard, though faint. The screams went on and on and on.

Kirk fired the rifle…..

The beam lashed out and struck Gary in the chest and threw him back on to the floor. Kirk had it at a medium setting, but Gary was still able to stand up. The screams got louder.

"I am able to destroy things with my mind!" Gary said in laughter. "You are but an ant at my heel now, Jim."

Kirk felt a strange sensation. He was being lifted off of the ground and then was thrown back and pinned back upon the wall of the room, still holding the phaser-rifle.

"Now," Gary said, pointing at Kirk, and walking toward him, past the table, as though guiding the force that pinned Kirk to the wall, "Now that you know the truth," Gary said with his sadistic smile, "I can kill you and feel no remorse at all! It's very liberating to lose friends! That's why the evil let me come here; to end my friendship with you! This is fun!"

Kirk could feel more of the invisible pressure pressing him back into the wall.

"Gary!" Kirk yelled back as the sounds of the screams began to vibrate Kirk's head. "Don't do this!"

Then, behind Gary, Kirk saw something. Spock was quietly standing up from the table. Gary's grip on time was slipping.

"It has to end this way," Gary said to Kirk as Kirk struggled to breathe. "I have to break this bond of loyalty to you in order to evolve into absolute evil and become more than I am. I feel as if the greatest burden in the universe is being lifted off my shoulder; our friendship."

Kirk began to feel light-headed. Gary was now choking him with just mere thoughts, as he pinned Kirk against the wall. But Kirk had to hold on. He used his finger to ratchet up the power level of the phaser-rile as he watched Spock quietly move up behind Gary. Spock looked directly at Kirk and sent him a mental imprint.

"I can't hold back time any longer," Gary said to Kirk. "I wish I could watch you die forever, Jim, but I can't. Your time to die has come!"

And then suddenly, using all his strength, and with the phaser power set to full, Kirk aimed the rifle at Gary just as Spock gripped Gary's neck in a strange way. Gary's body went limp as the beam struck him. Spock let go of Gary's neck, and then Spock dove to the ground as Gary was thrown back by the phaser blast. Gary's body dissolved away and all that was left was a fluctuating energy pattern of bright green and red entrails.

"Shoot it again," Spock yelled to Kirk as the screams grew louder.

"I can't," Kirk shouted back as he dropped to the ground. "He's my friend!"

"Captain," Spock said, "he is no longer the Gary Mitchell you knew! If you don't kill him now, he will destroy us all!"

Kirk aimed the phaser-rifle at what used to be his friend. They had shared so much fun, and drama, through the years and now it all came down to his moment. Kirk pulled the trigger and a beam streaked out and struck the energy being. The screams of thousands, maybe millions, faded and then were gone. The energy being began to fade away as well, and then it too was gone.

"I killed my friend," Kirk said.

"You may have saved the entire universe Captain Kirk," Spock said.

The door to Kirk's room slid open and then Scotty, with his sword drawn, Sulu, with his sword drawn as well, and six phaser armed security officers rushed in.

"What happened in here?" Sulu asked as he saw the damage that had been done to the room. "Colonel Pike isn't going to like the repair bill this costs."

Kirk helped Spock up. Just then Dr. McCoy rushed in, carrying a medical kit.

"You saved my life," Kirk said to Spock.

"I only saved the life of an officer of Earth's United Space Agency," Spock said. "I am incapable of any other clarification of what has happened."

"Jim," McCoy asked, "are you alright? What happened in here?"

Kirk walked across the room and fetched an old photo of him and Gary reeling in a big fish off the coast of Maui, several years earlier.

"An ending," Kirk said as he looked down at Gary and smiled. "I forgive you my old friend; where ever you are."

"An ending?" McCoy asked.

"And the beginning of a new friendship, I hope," Kirk said to Spock.

At that moment they all heard the sounds of a baby crying in the next room. Kirk ran through the door and found a baby, in all its innocent charm, on its back giggling: it was David Marcus. Jim ran over and held the baby and he smiled. Somehow, someway, perhaps in his last moment of life, Gary had forgiven Kirk too and had given him a miracle.

The Enterprise entered orbit of Vulcan.

* * *

And on the edge of forever...Gary Mitchell smiled at the face of reality and let it envelope him...he would return...

**NEXT TIME**  
**Jim Kirk meets Sarek...and... STAR TREK:PHASE TWO takes on a new title...STAR TREK: V'GER**


	43. Coming Home

**STAR TREK; V'GER**

**Coming Home**

* * *

**USS ENTERPRISE in orbit of planet Vulcan**

The crew of the USS ENTERPRISE was in very good spirits as the ship entered orbit of Vulcan. It was already a very historic mission, voyaging to their first civilized alien world; invited even. But the sudden arrival of a child that was barely a year old, who everyone had thought been killed, and who was the son of the captain no less, had really brought a feeling of good things to come.

Doctor McCoy entered sickbay, clad in his dress uniform. With-in the hour he would join Kirk, and Spock, and the three of them would beam down to Vulcan to meet with Spock's people, including his father, Sarek.

In the meantime, Doctor McCoy had seen it before, he thought to himself as he made his way into Sickbay. Whenever there was a new baby in a hospital, or anywhere that people knew each other as more than just casual acquaintances, the child seemed to bring out instinctive maternal instincts of many of the women. It also brought out a protective nature of the men who, by the natural pecking ordered, knew the social ladder of a given community then found it incumbent on them to protect that child. It was humanity at its sexist best, McCoy thought.

The child had only been on board for three days and already the list for volunteer baby sitters had reached one hundred and eighty-nine people. On a ship that had a crew of just barely two-hundred, that was quite remarkable. But that was the kind of person James T Kirk was. His calm, good nature, inspired that kind of feeling towards him from others.

The crew also knew that Kirk, as a Starship Captain, was very busy. Kirk spent as much time as he could with the baby, sleeping with him, and playing with him as much as he could. But the events with Gary, and the news from Starfleet about the incident with the Romulans at Neptune, had amped up the workload for Kirk. McCoy had told his medical staff to put out 'feelers' for baby-sitters. Kirk was barely getting any sleep, and that was the last thing the entire crew needed from their captain.

The baby was resting on one of the bio-beds and was being given his daily check-up by the ships head nurse, Christine Chapel. Guinan was there as well. She would take over watching the child once the tests were done.

McCoy had known Chapel from the past, having served with her for years in the Navy medical system. He had pulled strings to get her assigned to the Enterprise. Kirk just blindly signed the paperwork to 'get' her without even blinking, when McCoy brought her transfer-request papers to him; that's how much respect Kirk had in McCoy's opinion.

"How's the little bozo doing?" McCoy asked Chapel as she was checking the baby's vitals on the bio-meds readout panel.

"Just fine," Lt. Chapel said. "Ensign Gregg mentioned a slight diaper rash, but it doesn't seem too much of a problem." Chapel said. She looked back to McCoy. "Could you tell me again how this can be? We all watched the island get destroyed by that comet, and we all saw this baby being held by that vile man... and yet? He's here."

"Gary Mitchell's final act," McCoy told her. "We all heard the captain on the 1Mc. Captain Mitchell had become some kind of being that the Captain could not explain with simple words. And in some way, before Jim and Spock had to put Gary down, he had brought David back to life."

"Amazing," Guinan said. "Christine just went over the final tests and the baby definitely is David Marcus. How does someone do that; bring someone back to life?"

"Who knows," McCoy said. "I just heard from Jim, by the way. The last subspace patch was received about fifteen minutes ago. Nadya was taken in to custody."

"I still can't believe Nadya had been infected like that," Guinan said. "Why didn't Starfleet medical detect it when she came back that first time with the Reliant?"

"Well," McCoy, "they also didn't detect whatever was growing inside of Gary Mitchell either. Just goes to prove that we don't know everything there is in the universe."

"Well," Chapel said, "I still know how to a diaper on a baby."

McCoy and Guinan admired Chapel's handy work.

"You have to show me how you did that," Guinan said. "Whenever I do it, it looks like I put a giant pretzel on him"

At that moment James T Kirk, also in his dress uniform, entered sickbay. He walked over to where McCoy, Guinan and Chapel stood, and looked down at his smiling baby boy on the bio-bed.

"He is a very calm and happy baby," Chapel told Kirk. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

"She's right," Guinan said. "My nephew would never stop crying."

"And by the way," McCoy added, as he spoke to Kirk, "The crew wants him to stay aboard as our mascot. I know the baby has a mother, and Carol is a nice woman, but there is no reason this baby couldn't be raised on this ship Jim; raised by you."

Kirk smiled. "We'll see," Kirk said. "A Starship shouldn't be home to a child."

"I use to think that way," McCoy said. "But if Earth is going to start sending out these ships on long missions, and in some cases for years, then they're going to have to find a way to include families Jim."

"Colonel Pike doesn't agree. He thinks..." Kirk began to say before McCoy cut him off.

"I've known Chris for a long time, and sometimes I think that man has his head so far up his ass, he can't see two feet ahead of him. Families in space Jim; mark my words. It will happen." McCoy concluded with an all knowing smile.

At that moment Spock, wearing his ceremonial robe, entered sickbay.

"Spock," McCoy said to the Vulcan, "does your world allow families to travel in space?"

"Yes Doctor McCoy," Spock replied. "Why do you ask?"

"See?" McCoy said to Kirk. "If they do it, and they've been doing this a lot longer than we have, then why can't we?"

Kirk looked at the old style wooden clock that adorned McCoy's sickbay. It was getting late.

"We better get going," Kirk said to McCoy.

Nurse Chapel, holding Baby David, came over to the three men.

"Are you married Mister Spock? Do you have any children?" Chapel asked with a polite and curious smile.

"I suggest we get going," Kirk said, seeing the look in Chapel's eyes and the guarded look in Spock's.

"Yes Captain," Spock replied, "that would be quite logical."

And then Kirk, McCoy and Spock headed out of sickbay, on their way to the Transporter Room

Guinan took the baby from Chapel.

"You go girl," Guinan said with a sly look in her eyes after detecting Chapel's obvious interest in the Vulcan Male.

* * *

Kirk, McCoy and Spock arrived at the Transporter Room. Upon arriving there they found Commander Scott at the controls, ready to beam them down.

"Scotty," Kirk said as he and the other two took their places on the Transporter Pad. "We should be getting another dispatch from Starfleet soon. Go ahead and take it in my quarters if it's coded and let me know if anything merits my immediate attention."

"Aye sir," Scotty said.

"Energize," Kirk said.

* * *

The transporter beam deposited Kirk, McCoy and Spock on the ridge of a massive valley. The Vulcan sun was just rising in the far distance, and it cast a yellowish glow over the land below. Although it was just morning time where they appeared, the temperature had to be nearly 41 Celsius; Kirk thought to himself. But the heat could not dispel the stunning beautiful scenery of the world.

A massive mountain could be seen in the distance.

"Jim, do you see that?" McCoy said pointing at the mountain. "Look at that waterfall."

Kirk shook his head. "Amazing," Kirk said as he saw what McCoy was referring to. "I bet it's over two thousand feet high."

"Welcome," said a deep strong voice from behind them.

Kirk, McCoy and Spock turned to see a very elegant Vulcan male; his regal presence radiated.

"My father," Spock told Kirk. "He is Sarek, of Vulcan."

Sarek raised his left hand and made the V salute that Spock had done upon first meeting Kirk. Kirk, not knowing what to do, raised his left hand, and in a futile effort, tried to make the hand salute. Upon failing, Kirk reached out right hand. Sarek, arching an eyebrow, reciprocated and put his hand out. Kirk took it in his, and shook hands. Sarek, not smiling a bit, took his hand back.

"Human," Sarek said softly. "Welcome to Vulcan." Sarek said in a very stoic tone, "We have much to discuss."

"Sir, your world is very beautiful," McCoy said, trying his best to lighten the mood.

Sarek looked McCoy over. Then, to Kirk's surprise, Sarek reached out his right had just as Kirk had a moment ago. McCoy took it into his right hand, and they shook hands.

"In my opinion, Vulcan's beauty," Sarek said, "is unparalleled." Sarek said. "However, someday I hope, I wish to visit your world and perhaps that opinion can be changed."

Kirk could feel that this Vulcan, Sarek, Spock's father, was one of the most dynamic individuals he had ever met. There was a calm wise demeanor that came from Sarek. Spock had it as well, but Sarek's was even more pronounced. Kirk couldn't help but think that Earth and Vulcan would come together to do great things in the future. He was right.

* * *

**EARTH  
ARCHER ISLAND; STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS**

…VOYAGER 2 (FORMERLY MARINIER 12)  
…AUGUST 20, 1977—LAUNCH  
…JULY 9, 1979—JUPITER  
…AUGUST 26, 1981—SATURN  
…JANUARY 24, 1986—URANIUS  
…AUGUST 25, 1989—NEPTUNE  
…NOVEMBER 30, 2006—HEATER MALFUNCTION  
…DECEMBER 6, 2006—HEATER MALFUCTION  
…APRIL 4, 2011—EARTH DIRECTIVES LOST  
…SEPTEMEBER 17, 2018—SIGNAL DETECTION  
…OCTOBER 9, 2018—NEW COMMAND CODE  
…FEBUARY 2, 2019—SYSTEM RECAL

UKNOWN ACCELERATION FACTOR

…FEBUARY 3, 2019-###787454  
…FEBUARY 3, 2019-###787455  
…MARCH 4, 2019-#001

Colonel Pike finished reading the dated events of Voyager 2's mission calendar, as he sat behind his desk. Across from his, and waiting quite anxiously for the Colonel's remarks, was Willard T Decker.

"What is this?" Colonel Pike finally asked. "I thought we lost contact with it some time back."

"We did," Decker said. "My grandfather was the last NASA tech to receive a coded umbrella patch from it. After that, we haven't heard from Voyager 2."

"What is an umbrella patch?" Pike asked.

"A term they used at NASA to describe a series of transmissions towards the end of contact with the probe."

"Alright, what's the big deal?" Pike asked.

"We just received the data from September 17, 2018, and the other events that happened after that point, just yesterday. The signal was detected on one of the new subspace frequencies."

Pike began to see the urgency.

"How did Voyager 2 contact us via subspace? In 1977, that kind of technology did not exist on Earth, so there is no way that thing could have a subspace communications system."

"I know," Decker said. "The codes 787454 and 787455 may give us a clue."

"How so; what do they mean?" Pike asked.

Decker thought for a moment before continuing.

"Sir," Decker said. "Voyager 2, and the other probes of the time, including Mariner, and more recent ones such as the Nomad series of probes, have all been programmed with code protocols. 787454 is the code they will transmit when access to its computer core has been gained by foreign means. 787455 is the code it will transmit if and when new command lines have been downloaded by foreign means."

"Are you saying that, while traveling through space, Voyager 2 was re-programmed by unknown parties?"

"Yes," Decker said. "And it's the last code that was transmitted that you should be aware of; #001. It makes about as much sense as the other two do."

"Why is that?" Pike asked.

"Sir, code #001 is relayed by the probe if its course is redirected, by foreign means, and the probe is sent back home; back to Earth."

"You're saying that the Voyager probe, with new subspace equipment, has informed us that it is coming home?" Pike asked.

"Yes," Decker said with a smile. "And we have no idea who reprogrammed it; and why they are sending it back to Earth."

Pike didn't like the sound of that; at all.

NEXT TIME; Just who is Williard T Decker? Find out.  
Sarek and Kirk share a Mind-Meld; and much is learned.


	44. It Begins

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**It Begins**

**September 8, 1975  
Norfolk Virginia**

Morris Decker pushed the button on his automatic garage opener and slid his jet-black, 1968 Mustang into its usual parking spot, right next to his wife's Ford station wagon. He revved up the engine one last time, while rolling down his window, so he could smell the sweet scent of the exhaust. He had long ago decided that if he was at the point of wanting to kill himself, which of course would never happen, he would end it all by breathing in the exhaust of his car. He loved the smell; who didn't?!

He got his brief case out of his car. It was a special brief case in that it had with-in it, what was at the time, one of the most sophisticated computers in the world. He had it because Morris Decker had a most important job; laying down command codes for the recently renamed Mariner 12 space-craft, Voyager 2.

Although it was a Friday, and most everyone else in the country had the weekend off, Morris didn't. He would spend the entire weekend, day and night, editing and making sure the command codes were slotted correctly. There will be no time for playing catch with his son Anton. Nor would there be time to see a movie with his wife, which was too bad. The new movie coming out, Jaws, was getting great reviews.

But such was the life of one of NASA's most important programmers. Morris Decker couldn't complain because it did pay well, and allowed his wife to continue her own college career. The fact they had even had time to have a child was remarkable. He walked over to the door in the back of the garage that led into the house. He pressed a button on a wall mount and watched the large garage door close slowly.

The walk into the kitchen wasn't that far from the garage door. Morris, as always, walked into the kitchen and set his brief case on the kitchen table. He sniffed the air, expecting to take in the wonderful aroma of Meatloaf; his wife's specialty. She had promised to make him on Friday, and Friday had come!

He opened up the refrigerator and pulled out a can of beer, popped it open, and guzzled down several swallows. He wondered where his wife, Mandy, and his son, Anton, were. Figuring they had gone to the store, Morris headed into the bedroom he and wife shared in their modest three bedroom house.

The door slid opened as he turned the knob. And then, right there out of nowhere, reality bit hard: His wife was tied to their bed, and with a gag around his mouth. Two men, on either side of the bed, held shotguns to either side of her head. They wore masks. On the forehead of their masks was a strange symbol. It was a Christian cross, but it was centered inside an upside down, five pointed star.

Suddenly, and without warning, two other men, who were also wearing the strange masks with the strange symbol, grabbed Morris from behind and forced him to the floor at the base of the bed, with his head just high enough to still make eye contact with his wife.

Then a fifth man came in. He was tall, wore a three piece suit, and did not bother wearing a mask. He carried an aurora of arrogance with him, and Morris could sense it even without hearing the man speak a single work.

"Morris Decker," the man said. "Your position at NASA, and especially with the Voyager 2 probe, is quite important to me. You're the man who will decide what kind of the soul this space craft will have."

"What's going on?" Morris asked. "Where is my son?"

The man nodded to the men holding the shotguns to Mandy's head. They put the guns down and then, using knives, they cut all of her clothing off. First her blouse, then her pants, her bra and underwear. She became nervous as she was humiliated in front of the five strangers.

"What are you doing!?" Morris Decker shouted. "Just tell me what you want. I have money in the living room, my wife has jewelry; please don't do this."

"We are not barbarians," the man in the suit said. "My name is Doctor Alexander Sevrin." Sevrin said. "Do you believe in God Mr. Decker?"

"No!," Morris replied anxiously. "I am an atheist, so is my wife."

"Then we have come at the right time," Sevrin said as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a pouch. "We have a chance to save your souls."

"What is it you want?" Morris pleaded as Sevrin took out three syringes as well as a small tube of liquid.

"What is it that I want?" Sevrin asked back to Morris. "I want to save the world from the vile nature it is rooted in. World Wars, Vietnam, oppression of the insignificant, pick your poison. Our world needs to be saved, and I know there is only one person in the universe that can bring us such a miracle: God."

Sevrin walked over to where Mandy was tied up on the bad and injected her with the syringes of liquid.

"What are you doing to her?" Morris demanded.

"Just preparing her mind and soul," Sevrin said to Morris in a soft voice. "Before I accept new parishioners, I must prepare the body for the rigorous right of ascension. The shot I gave her is a mixture of mind altering substances and a sedative."

Morris watched as the intensity in his wife's eyes began to fade as the shot began to take effect.

Then, after injecting her with the vile, Sevrin pulled a small instrument out of the pouch. He placed it above her navel.

"This will hurt a little," Sevrin said to Mandy. "But the pain to salvation is worth the blood of innocence."

And then Sevrin squeezed the small handle that was on the side of the metal instruments. Mandy cried in pain as the object pulled up a small portion of her skin and then literally took a bite. Blood drained out as Mandy cried in paid. Then Sevrin applied some kind of ointment with a small bundled up towel of ice. The mark left on her abdomen, where the device had cut her, was the same symbol that was on the men's masks.

"Where is my son!?" Morris demanded.

Sevrin nodded at the two men who had been holding the guns and then they began to put another set of clothes on Mandy. It was obvious to Morris that Mandy was completely out of it. Morris had experimented with LSD in the 60s and knew the look in someone's eyes when they were on a trip.

"If you ever want to see your son alive again, you will do exactly what I tell you," Sevrin said. "Do you understand me?"

Morris nodded.

"The reason I have put the mark of our Lord on your wife is so that it can be a constant reminder to you that we will always have an eye on you, and your family," Sevrin said. "If you were to simply disappear it would cause suspicion, and I can't have that. But since your wife is a female, and thus ours to do with as we wish, I shall use her as the lamb. Since she is your property I cannot take her, but I can use her to convey my power over you."

"What is it you want me to do?" Morris asked. "As I said before, I have money in the living room. You can take my wife's jewelry!"

One of the men who was wearing a mask, and had left moments before, came back into the bedroom holding Morris's briefcase.

"As I said," Sevrin said as he took the briefcase from his assistant and then set it on the edge, "I am not a barbarian. However, if you wish to see your son again, all you have to do is open up that briefcase of yours and do as I say. Once that is done, then I will leave you and your wife, and your son, who is being held inside a van outside, will be let free."

"Okay," Morris said. "I'll do whatever it is you want."

Morris opened the briefcase and listened to what Sevrin wanted. It was the strangest demand, but Morris did what was demanded of him. Once the task was done, Sevrin and his men left. And just as he had promised to do, Sevrin opened the backdoor of a van that pulled up, and little Anton ran out of the van and into the arms of his father, Morris.

Sevrin came back over to where Morris was. Morris told his son to go inside.

"If you inform anyone what you did with the command codes," Sevrin said, "I will return. My followers may not be plentiful, as of yet, but several of them work at NASA. So believe when I tell you, if you try to inform anyone there, or the authorities, I will find out. And if that happens I will return. The next time I return I will do more than just give your wife a scar."

"You can't possibly have that much power," Morris said with a look of doubt in his face.

"Oh?" Sevrin said with a smile. "How do you think we knew to come to you? Just remember the next time you make love to your wife, and you slide your tongue down towards her stomach, and you see the mark of our Lord, that not only does he have his eyes on you," Sevrin paused for affect, "so do I." Sevrin smiled. "Good day Morris Decker."

And with that, Sevrin got into the van and it drove off.

Morris went inside and hugged his son. The applying a few lines of command that as far as Morris could tell, was useless, was a small price to pay for his son's freedom.

* * *

Inside the van, Sevrin sat in the back passenger area as the vehicle made its way from Morris Decker's house. The rest of his men took off their masks, now that they were safe.

"What now?" One of them asked Sevrin.

Sevrin took out the strange metal instrument that he had used on Mandy Decker.  
**  
**Inside of the device was the slice of skin he had sliced off of her. He looked at the slice of flesh and the blood that had come with it.

"What now you ask?" Sevrin repeated back. "We wait. That is all we can do, those of us who are lucky enough to serve the lord. If Morris Decker was successful with what he did it will be quite some time until the fruit blooms. All we have is the faith that we are being guided by a much higher purpose."

The other men smiled.

"I also have faith that the paths we are on," Sevrin continued, "are heading us towards Eden. Just give your heart to the Lord and he will reward that faith with his love and his guidance."

**Next time  
Sarek and James T Kirk; MIND-MELD!**

**Check out my new story in the "STAR TREK: OTHER SECTION". Matt has been hired to produce a cheap Star Trek series for NBC and Paramount, where quality is always a low rung on the ladder (this is a parody of course...yeah...right). **


	45. Sarek

**Star Trek: V'Ger**

**Sarek**

**Brad Pitt as Jim Kirk**

**Karl Urban as McCoy**

**Zachary Quinto as Spock**

**and**

**Sean Connery as Sarek**

* * *

**Planet Vulcan**

The planetary tour of Vulcan really amazed Jim Kirk and Leonard McCoy. Having served in the military before ending up on the Enterprise, McCoy had been to many places on Earth. Seeing new sights and taking in the sounds that came with them was really nothing new to him.

But an entirely different world, rich with its own beauty and history? That was an entirely new experience, and McCoy was glad that Kirk had invited him to come along for the ride.

Spock expertly piloted the sleek-looking Vulcan craft through the atmosphere of the planet. The planet Vulcan was slightly larger than Earth, but with twenty-five percent of surface water. Underneath the arid looking world was a complex string of underground oceans and rivers. So while the planet may have looked like an arid desert, in reality, there was no shortage of water, and the life that came from it. Kirk and McCoy became exited, like two school kids, when two large birds, much like Earth's pterodactyls, flew alongside the craft. They both took turns taking pictures. Sarek was even kind enough, after instructions on how to use the camera, to take a picture with Kirk and McCoy standing together, with the massive winged creature pretty much taking up the entire view outside the window.

The craft dove toward a large ringed shape mountain range where twelve Volcanoes, the tallest being roughly in the middle, cut a swath of rising and lowering land shapes that defied explanation. Four of the volcanoes were actually active, with a fifth, according to Sarek, preparing to erupt in the near future.

Kirk found Sarek to be most impressive, at first. Spock's father was quite proud of his world, and made the perfect tour guide. It was when they came over the city of Nar'vey that Kirk could see a crowd of Vulcans who had gathered at some sort of facility.

"There has to be nearly fifty-thousand down there," Kirk said, taking a guess at how many Vulcans were gathered below.

"What is that place?" McCoy asked Sarek, upon seeing the gathered throng.

"We Vulcans," Sarek to McCoy, "follow a strict adherence to the concept of logic. It is our way, and this place, the city of Nar'vey, is where every Vulcan, male and female, will visit to finish the rigorous training that all Vulcans begin when they are children."

In the two short days they had been on Vulcan, Sarek had already started to call his son by the name of the A.I. that he had merged with. S.P.O.C.K. was now Spock of Vulcan. It was a most interesting situation for all those involved.

"Excuse me," Kirk said to Sarek, "but how old do Vulcans live to be?"

"Measured on your world," Sarek said, "the average Vulcan will live to be two-hundred and ten years. In some cases, such as my father, we can live as long as two-hundred and fifty Earth years."

As Sarek spoke, Kirk could not help but notice that the stoic Vulcan seemed to know more about Earth than just casual information.

"At what age do they come to the city of Nar'vey to finish their training?" McCoy asked.

"What you would call their fiftieth year," Sarek said. "The final stage into the passage of total logic is to leave our planet and to travel to another world. On this other world they will meditate and find the balance of life on that world and then will bring that experience back to Vulcan, to the city of Nar'vey. Once a Vulcan's experiences on this other world become one with their Katra, a Vulcan's living soul, the experiences are passed on inside the Great Hall," Sarek said pointing at the large structure the crowd was entering.

"Spock, have you done this? Come to the city of Nar'vey?" Kirk asked.

"I was to have come here," Spock said, "upon returning from the world our two paths crossed on."

"Spock cannot, at this time, go the city of Nar'vey," Sarek said to Kirk and McCoy. "Due to the circumstances of merging with your artificial being, his Katra has become disrupted. Due to the consequences of his illogical curiosity, Spock cannot attain our most prestigious state of mind; the Kolinahr. His time, if it is to come, will be so judged in the future."

It was at that moment that Captain James T. Kirk could sense the sound of disappointment in Sarek's voice. Kirk had issues with his own father, most fathers and sons do. But now it appeared as if Spock hadn't lived up to Sarek's. It was something that Kirk and Spock had in common with each other.

Kirk could only wonder if Spock was feeling humiliated with his father talking about his son's failure to achieve Kolinahr. Kirk wished McCoy had just let it go, but he didn't.

"What do you mean?" McCoy further asked Sarek. "Are you saying that Spock can come back?"

Sarek nodded.

"In twelve of your Earth years," Sarek said to McCoy, "he can return to the Great Hall. However, because he has failed to achieve Kolinahr today, only his father-" Sarek was saying before Kirk cut in.

"Meaning you," Kirk said, almost as if to make a point.

"Correct," Sarek said, "I will have the final say as to whether or not he can achieve Kolinahr. My son has always let his curiosity interfere with his achievements. This is yet another example."

Again, Kirk thought to himself. Why was Sarek bringing up these issues? Was there something else going on than just a causal tour of Vulcan?

"Then our coming to that world," McCoy said, "has prevented your son from achieving this Kolinahr."

"No, Doctor McCoy," Spock said, "I have upset this day for the reason my father stated."

"Spock," Kirk said, "I was there, so was McCoy. You had no idea why we were there. And since you were locked in your meditation, we could have killed you. You acted in self- defense when S.P.O.C.K. came too close."

"No Captain," Sarek said for Spock, "Spock acted out of an irrational emotion to seek control. These are human ways, not ours. Our ways teach us the exact opposite, Captain Kirk."

Kirk could see there was no changing Sarek's mind. But Kirk was really beginning to have issues with Sarek. In one sentence Sarek had taken a swipe at human emotions. It was surprising to hear such frank words.

"Well then," McCoy said, "If he can't achieve Kolinahr for another twelve years what will he do?"

"I have been contemplating that question myself," Sarek said. "I wish for my son to accompany you on your mission, Captain Kirk."

"What?" Kirk replied.

"These next twelve years must be filled with experiences, and challenges, to prove his mind worthy of the Great Hall. Your ship, where it will go, and the challenge of working along untrained minds, would provide Spock with the kind of challenges he must attain to come back here; back to Nar'vey."

"Jim," McCoy said, "having Spock as a crew member would be a wonderful experience for the crew, and his knowledge of what is out here, would provide you with a wealth of data you couldn't possibly buy."

"Doctor McCoy is quite logical," Sarek said to Kirk. "This relationship would not only benefit Spock, it would also benefit you and your world. Perhaps, together, you can find your way and Spock, my son, can find his."

The craft banked over some hills and then approached the same out-growth of mountains they had taken off from. The Vulcan population had built their homes into the hills and mountains that covered the world. Their power came from harnessing the massive oceans, rivers and streams beneath them. It was an alien way to build, and live, but Kirk could see the advantages.

Spock deftly landed the craft, and soon the doors slid open. Kirk walked along Sarek as they walked through the hatch and down the boarding ramp.

"Spock has told me," Kirk said, "that he cannot interfere with our progress. Won't his being a crewmember on the Enterprise do just that?"

"He is quite right about non-interference," Sarek said. "Vulcan belongs to a consortium of other likewise peaceful explorers of space, and this is our Prime edict, directive if you would. We will not interfere with the natural progression of other worlds. However, as these worlds become warp-capable, as Earth is now, there comes a time when new protocols are engaged."

"How does Earth join this consortium of worlds?" Kirk asked without missing a beat.

"That is a matter we can discuss at our evening meal Captain Kirk," Sarek said. "I can tell you now, however, that joining our federation of worlds does not come without complications."

"The Romulans?" Kirk asked pointedly.

"Quite correct," Sarek replied.

Spock and McCoy walked just ahead of Sarek and Kirk; deep in their own conversation, and towards the large outgrowth of the mountain that, inside, contained their home. Kirk stopped walking and faced Sarek.

"Ambassador Sarek," Kirk said, trying his hardest to sound official, "Being an official representative of my home world, Earth, can you please tell us who the Romulans are and what connection they have to Earth?"

Sarek arched an eyebrow. Spock had arched his eyebrow in the same way. Perhaps father and son shared more than they liked to believe, Kirk thought for a moment.

"Captain Kirk," Sarek said, "I find your ability to ask direct questions quite exhilarating. I cannot give these answers to you; not now. Once Earth has been officially accepted, after applying for membership, only then I can tell you what it is you wish to know."

"I am empowered by the leader of my world to negotiate such matters," Kirk said.

McCoy had to suppress a laugh, for that was a lie.

"Applying for membership and attaining membership are two different matters," Sarek said.

"However," Spock said to Sarek, "I am a registered member of the diplomatic core, and being on the Enterprise as an observer might allow us to circumvent certain aspects."

"Quite logical Spock," Sarek said.

"Thank you," Kirk replied as the four of them continued on towards the modern entrance that had been cut into the mountain.

"Captain Kirk," Sarek added. "You are a very ambitious human. Human ambition has always fascinated me."

Kirk shook his head.

"Sir," Kirk said to Sarek as they approached the entrance. "How is it you seem to know a lot about humans and our emotions?"

At that moment the entrance to the home opened and a very beautiful woman stood in the entrance wearing a vale. She pulled back the vale to greet them, and then Kirk and McCoy were stunned at what they saw, and when Sarek answered Kirk's question at the same time.

"I know as much as I do about humans, for as you can see," Sarek said with a pause, "I married one."

CONTINUED…Mind-Meld


	46. Ever So Close

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Ever So Close**

* * *

**UNITED SPACE AGENCY; ARCHER ISLAND **

Willard Decker and Colonel Pike walked through a darkened warehouse which was located inside one of the many structures on Archer Island. Decker adjusted his beret that he always wore as Pike turned on a flash light he was holding.

When NASA closed its doors and was absorbed by the UNITED SPACE AGENCY, most of its archival records, as well as old mock-ups of the various probes NASA had constructed the century or so of its existence, were shipped over for a planned museum that had yet to be constructed.

"I bet it's been years since anyone has been in here," Col. Pike said.

"Easily," Decker said. "I was there when we packed it all up and sent it over here. Senator Mitch Williams promised us a museum," Decker added, "and he has yet to deliver on that promise."

"So what is it we are looking for?" Pike asked as he listened to his voice echo in the darkness through the vast warehouse.

"In the rush to send this stuff over," Decker told him, "we sent the Circuit Card Assembly packages as well. If you end up granting my request to find the Voyager 2, I might need some of the old cards to switch out the ones on Voyager when it gets here."

"I took your request up the chain," Pike told Decker. "So far they haven't gotten back to me. This incident that happened with the Romulans at Neptune is still getting our full attention."

"Yes yes," Decker said, "I can see why. This can wait; I hope."

They found their way towards one of the storage compartments. Various electronic items were spread around. It was clear that some of it had been since used for other programs.

"I didn't know our folks would still have use for this old stuff," Pike said. "Incidentally, I was doing some reading. Your great-great grandfather, Morris Decker, was one of the mission specialists for Voyager 2."

"Yes, he was indeed," Decker said as he was rummaging through the various boxes of old electronics.

"It must make you proud to be working on the project that he helped bring to life," Pike said.

"Yes, it does," Decker said. "He was a great man; well ahead of his time."

As Decker was lifting a box his arm brushed passed his beret, knocking it off his head and to the ground where he was standing. Col. Pike was about to retrieve it when…

"No," Decker said, with a slight tone of anger in his voice. "I'll get it!"

Pike was taken aback by the outburst and stood back. Decker walked over, crouched down, and picked up the beret and placed it back on his head.

"Sorry," Pike said. "I was only going to get it for you."

"I'm sorry about that outburst," Decker said with remorse, "It was a gift from my mother. She passed away a few years back."

"I see," Pike said.

Decker positioned the beret on his head. Making sure it covered the strange scar that, if someone tried to look for, could see. It was a scar in the shape of a five-pointed star with a Christian Cross in the middle.

**STAR FLEET MEDICAL...also located on Archer Island**

After Captain Kirk had made his report, weeks ago, about encountering Gary Mitchell one last time while on the way to Vulcan, Nadya Chekov was placed under arrest and taken into custody by Starfleet Security. The revelation that Chekov was under the influence of a parasite only found on Mars caused a stir. Kirk made it very clear to Colonel Pike that she was not responsible for most of her actions since the moment she had become infected on Mars

Starfleet's very own Surgeon General, Beverly Crusher, was tasked with removing the parasite. The operation was quite risky, but the parasite was removed. After three weeks of recovery, Nadya was given a special hearing. Due to the affects of the parasite, and possible interference from Gary Mitchell and/or Khan at the time, all charges against her were dropped in the matter of Ivan's and his lover's deaths.

As she opened her eyes, she smiled at the nurse who was busily taking her vitals.

"Well," the nurse, an elderly woman, said, "if the Doctor says you are as well off as I think you are, you might get to go home."

"Thank you," Nadya said with a soft smile.

With her medical tasks done, the woman left the room.

Nadya thought about her life. She didn't want to go back home to Russia. She was quite sure her mother would never let her live what had happened down. Her mother had been against Nadya's joining Starfleet from the start.

With nowhere else to go she resolved to herself that she would go back to Starfleet and demand to have her career back. The Chekov family never gave up on their dreams.

* * *

**United Space Agency Airport; Archer Island**.

A large airbus taxied down the runway. Soon it stopped at the main terminal and the passengers began to file off one by one. Several of the men who had been on the flight had found it hard to keep their eyes off the very attractive woman. Even some of the other women found her arousing as well. She was from India, and her beauty was incredible, and her name was ILYA. She sat down on one of the seats inside of the terminal, cognizant of the eyes of the many men that were ogling her. She was used to it; men, no matter where, and no matter their background, were easily distracted by beauty such as hers.

She entered one of the woman's restrooms to tidy up and then went into one of the stalls to change her worn out stockings for another pair. She peeled off the pair she had worn all day, when she had began her journey to Archer island. As her legs were now bare, she reached down and rubbed her legs to get the blood flowing in them.

Being cramped up on the airbus did not feel good at all. As she rubbed the back of her calves, she twisted her left ankle slightly so she could see it; the tattoo on her leg in the shape of a five pointed star, and a Christian cross in the middle. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to relax. She had come a long way and would do as she was ordered and await his signal. If all went according to plan, he would contact her soon; Willard T Decker.

* * *

**The Planet Vulcan…**

**Previously;**

_"Captain Kirk," Sarek added. "You are a very ambitious human. Human ambition has always fascinated me."_

_Kirk shook his head._

_"Sir," Kirk said to Sarek as they approached the entrance. "How is it you seem to know a lot about humans and our emotions?"_

_At that moment the entrance to the home opened and a very beautiful woman stood in the entrance wearing a vale. She pulled back the vale to greet them, and then Kirk and McCoy were stunned at what they saw, and when Sarek answered Kirk's question at the same time._

_"I know as much as I do for as you can see," Sarek said with a pause, "I married one."_

**Our Story Continues…**

James T Kirk could not deny a new simple fact in the universe. Sarek was married to, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women in all the cosmos.

Sarek walked past McCoy, and Spock, and stood by his wife.

"Now," Sarek said with deep pride, "I would like the pleasure to introduce my wife to the two of you," Sarek said to Kirk and McCoy. "Amanda," Sarek said to her, "this is Captain James T. Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy of the Earth ship Enterprise."

The very regal woman stared at the two men with very elegant eyes and long flowing auburn hair, which was woven with a beautiful golden head piece. He angular features gave her a very exotic yet very calm look.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," McCoy said as he bowed to her.

"Please," Amanda said to McCoy, "I do wish, nor am I due, such adulation."

"I beg to differ," Kirk said to her with a smile. "Ambassador Sarek could not have chosen a more beautiful woman. And seeing that you come from Earth, I am not surprised at all."

"I'm sorry Captain," Amanda said with her own smile. "I am not from Earth; I am a Romulan."

McCoy looked over to Kirk. Neither had been prepared to hear that fact of information.

"Umm," Kirk said to Sarek, "that is quite interesting."

"Which is why," Sarek said to Kirk, "we will have to find away to work around the Prime Directive when considering the Romulans. My son, Spock, is half Vulcan and half Romulan, meaning he is half human as well. His very being on your ship has violated many Prime-Directive protocols."

"So the Romulans are from Earth?" McCoy asked.

"I suggest," Amanda said to them all, "that we continue this conversation inside. I am quite sure that our visitors are not accustomed to this kind of heat, and the evening meal is ready to be served."

"Yes," Sarek said to her, "you are quite logical as always. We shall indeed go inside for the evening meal, and," Sarek said to Kirk, "during that meal I will discuss with you, Captain Kirk, as much as I can about your world's place in the galaxy."

"I would like that very much," Kirk said to Sarek.

And with that said, Amanda led them all inside the abode had had been built inside the large cavern of the mountain side.

* * *

For nearly an hour Kirk and McCoy were treated to a tour of the large Vulcan home. Amanda was the perfect hostess as she easily took them from room to room. They were shown several different parts of the home, and it was quite clear that Sarek was a well accomplished politician. There were many scrolls from far off worlds that were on the walls and were written in languages that neither Kirk nor McCoy could read. But even with that, it was obvious Sarek was highly thought of. There were artifacts from these worlds as well; Kirk and McCoy were really looking through a window at a galactic neighborhood they were only just beginning to understand.

Finally they all sat around a large dining table that had been forged from a very beautiful rock substance. Smooth to the touch, and rounded at the corners, and also florescent, the table, and serving ware, were the most beautiful that Kirk and McCoy had ever seen.

Amanda disappeared into another room, where the evening meal was being prepared. Spock had joined her as well, to assist. This left Sarek alone with Kirk and McCoy.

"Now," Sarek told Kirk, as both sipped on a glass of Vulcan wine, "I will tell you about the Romulans."

"If it makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to do this," Kirk stated as he too took a sip of the wine.

"Under different circumstances, I would not," Sarek said, making his point rather clear. "However, your future relationship with my son compels me to do so."

"I see," Kirk said.

"My people have been visiting your world for nearly two-thousand of your Earth years," Sarek told them. "The ease of our visiting your system is simple. Near to your solar system, and as of yet undiscovered by your scientists, is your star's companion which is now what you would call a black-hole, however, to us, it is a wormhole."

"What is a wormhole?" McCoy asked, confused.

"Oh come on Bones," Kirk said to McCoy. "You don't know what a wormhole is?"

"Hey, sorry Jim," McCoy replied, "Astronomy and all that astrophysics stuff went in one ear and out the other." McCoy fired back to Kirk.

"Well," Kirk said for Sarek, "it is like a doorway. You walk in on one side, and then appear, perhaps on the other side of the galaxy, instantly. They are theoretical, and quite a famous plot point in many works of science fiction."

Sarek nodded his head.

"A crude example," Sarek said, "though acceptable. In any event, Vulcans would come to Earth, back in those times, to achieve Kolinahr. We did so because Earth was one of only a few worlds Vulcan had access to in those times, via the wormhole."

Amanda and Spock returned and sat at their places at the table.

"So," Kirk said to Sarek, "your people came to Earth for Kolinahr for all those years and never made contact with us?"

"Exactly," Sarek said. "The human civilization was quite fragile at that time, and even in those times Vulcans followed a non-interference edict. Coming there had become a rite of passage until it was found out that a comet was going to strike your world. As you know, many of your world's religions refer to a massive flood; this comet would be the cause of many of those myths."

"That is true," McCoy said to Kirk. "The Chinese, the Romans and even the Native-American mythos all have references to a massive flood."

Kirk nodded in agreement, and then Sarek continued.

"Because of the possible effects of the comet strike, human existence was in doubt, so it was decided that we needed to save your species without contaminating any possible survivors. With little time available, the Vulcans of that time decided to save roughly ten-thousand humans from the area on your world known as Rome due to the fact most of our resources in that part of the world."

"Are you saying that these Romans became Romulans?" McCoy asked.

"Yes; eventually," Sarek replied. "A large area on Vulcan was set aside for these humans. The reason I find your ambition so interesting Captain is that these Romans also had that same ambition. Within one-hundred of your Earth years, the Romans on Vulcan began to have great impact on Vulcan society. The human drives and ambition, which ran counter to the Vulcan strive for logic, created a rift. Eventually, five hundred years after we brought them to our world, these Romans rose up and tried to conquer Vulcan."

"It was in their blood," Kirk said to Sarek. "The Romans were known for that."

"Indeed," Sarek said with a soft voice, "After two-hundred years of fighting, a compromise was reached. The Romans, who now called themselves Romulans, were allowed to leave Vulcan with some of our technology of that time. They would eventually settle in a star system far from Vulcan, however, but much closer to Earth."

"My people were proud; are proud," Amanda added. "You said it was in their blood to conquer; you were right Captain Kirk. The Vulcans believed, and still believe, in IDIC; Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. They believe that it is our diversity, our cosmic diversity to be more precise, that must bring us together as like minded beings. The Romulans have believed, and always have, and perhaps always will, that the strong should rule and the weak shall serve."

"Which is why," Spock suddenly said to Kirk, "they covet Earth. The Federation, along with other galactic forces, has forced the Romulans to abide by a galactic code to not interfere in the natural progression on all sentient worlds."

Sarek spoke next.

"Now that your world is venturing out into space beyond the confines of your own solar system," Sarek added, "The Romulans are no longer restrained by that protocol. Should they want to, they can now conquer their real home world: Earth."

"That doesn't sound like a good proposition," McCoy said softly.

"Nor should it," Amanda, the Romulan, said. "My people are ruthless warriors Doctor McCoy. They have fought other space faring races, most notably the Klingons and the Cardassians, and have held their own. If they decide to take your world and enslave your populations, they will."

"Why haven't they?" Kirk asked. "If we're such easy targets, why not just rush in and take us out?"

Sarek looked over at one of the walls. There was a noticeable empty segment on the wall where there were no scrolls, no awards; no sign of any accomplishment. Only the lone image of a world occupied the otherwise empty space on the wall. It was as if it as reserved a future time when Sarek could go there, and open relations but had, as of yet, to do so.

"What is that world?" McCoy asked.

"It is really just an approximation, Doctor McCoy." Spock told McCoy. "It is believed to be the home of the most powerful force in the entire galaxy."

"What are they called?" Kirk asked as he stared at the world.

"The Borg," Sarek said. "The Romulans have not come to Earth due to the fact that it is believed that doing so might bring the Borg out of their long dormant state. There has long been a theory that the Borg have an interest in your part of the galaxy and will come to claim it eventually. The Romulans, at the present time, are choosing survival over conquest; quite logical when they want to be. Perhaps that is our lasting influence with them. The Romulans have told me on numerous occasions that they wish to negotiate for domain over that area of the galaxy with the Borg. "

"Which could never happen," Amanda added. "You cannot negotiate with the Borg; they either see you only as an asset; or not."

"My mother and I have been debating the ability to communicate with the Borg ever since I was a child." Spock said. "It is a verbal joust that I fear shows no sign of ending."

"Why not just walk up and say hello to them?" McCoy added with tinge of humor.

Sarek, who had taken a sip from his glass of wine, looked over at McCoy.

"I am afraid it is more complicated than mere words, Dr. McCoy," Sarek said. "No world, on this side of the galaxy, has ever been able to make contact with them. In fact, we do not even know what they look like. What we do know of them has been passed down to us over centuries of conquests they have subjugated this part of the galaxy to through time. They have not returned for nearly sixty of your Earth years, though there are reports coming in that suggest they may have awakened."

"Do you believe they will come for Earth?" Kirk asked.

"I cannot tell you what the future holds," Sarek said to Kirk. "However, it is a distinct possibility. Furthermore, a possible Borg return is the very reason that is keeping the Romulans from coming to your world. To do so might bring the Borg to the Romulan's current home-world: Romulus."

Kirk listened and understood the undertones of Sarek's words. He was pleased that Sarek, Amanda and Spock as well, were up front with their knowledge. Kirk decided to be as up front as they were by playing the one ace he held in his hand that Sarek did not seem to know of as of yet; Gary Mitchell and the Neptune incident.

Continued…


	47. Savior

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Savior**

**Previously**

_Sarek spoke of the mysterious race called Borg._

_"Can't you just open up dialog with them?" McCoy asked._

_"I am afraid it is more complicated than mere words," Sarek said. "No world on this side of the galaxy has ever been able to make contact with them. In fact, we do not even know what they look like. What we do know of them has been passed down to us over centuries of conquests they have subjugated through time. They have not returned for nearly sixty of your Earth years, though there are reports coming in that suggest they may have awakened."_

_"Do you believe they will come for Earth?" Kirk asked._

_"I cannot tell you what the future holds," Sarek said to Kirk. "However, it is a distinct possibility. Furthermore, it is that very possibility that is keeping the Romulans from coming to your world. To do so might bring the Borg to the Romulan's current home-world: Romulus."_

_Kirk listened and understood the undertones of Sarek's words. He was pleased that Sarek, Amanda and Spock as well, were up front with their knowledge. Kirk decided to be as up front as they were by playing the one ace he held in his hand that Sarek did not seem to know of as of yet; Gary Mitchell and the Neptune incident._

**Our story continues**

"Spock," Kirk said to his new Vulcan friend, "what about Gary? Do you think he figures into his in some way?"

Spock arched an eyebrow, just like his father had earlier.

"An intriguing thought," Spock replied.

"I am sorry," Sarek said, "to what are you speaking?"

Kirk explained who Gary Mitchell was to Sarek, and the final meeting between Kirk and Gary aboard the Enterprise just four days prior to arriving at Vulcan. How Gary had almost Killed Kirk, with pure thought and energy.

"He apologized for killing my son, and tried to kill me too, but your son," Kirk looked over at Spock, "saved me." Then Kirk looked back at Sarek. "Even after trying to kill me, his final was bringing my son back to life."

"Your son's body was with you?" Amanda asked.

"No, not at all," Kirk explained. "The moment Gary evolved into whatever it was he evolved into, we heard the sound of a child and sure enough; my infant son had appeared out of nowhere and very alive."

"That is quite an interesting tale," Sarek said to Kirk." He looked to Spock.

"Yes father," Spock said to his father, "that is exactly what happened."

Kirk continued. "Gary seemed to believe he was becoming a God. He claims to have been living a lie as a human, and that in the past couple years, he had been suppressing an unnatural characteristic. I knew Gary most of this life, and when he touched my mind with his, I…"

"Excuse me Kirk," Sarek interjected with. "You say that he touched mind; could you please explain to me what you mean by that?"

"During our confrontation, in order to help try and understand who and what he was, Gary was able to transfer his memories to mine. He spoke of an incident aboard a Romulan vessel in orbit of a planet in Earth's system. He claimed the Romulans had come there looking for something they called the Omega Particle and that he, Gary, had come from it thousands of years earlier. None of this made any sense, and still doesn't," Kirk said.

"Fascinating," Sarek said. "Captain Kirk I wish to ask a question of you in a most personal way."

"Please do," Kirk said.

"Vulcans, such as me, have an innate ability to telepathically touch another person's mind as well," Sarek said. "We call it the Vulcan Mind-meld. I would like to touch your mind with mine."

"Umm," McCoy said in a concerned tone as he heard Sarek's request. "Is this the same procedure that Spock used on, well, S.P.O.C.K.? It fused their minds together; couldn't this happen to Captain Kirk and you?"

"Sarek," Amada said to McCoy, "possesses the most disciplined mind on Vulcan. He poses no threat to Captain Kirk; nor does your Captain to Sarek."

"On the contrary, mother," Spock said Amanda. "It is quite possible that means in which Gary Mitchell made contact with Captain Kirk he may have affected the Captain's mind. I believe a mind-meld, at this time, may pose an element of risk."

"An element of risk," Kirk said to them all, "that I am willing to take, Spock, if it will help with trying to explain the Romulan's future intentions."

"I cannot flaw your logic," Spock said.

"Indeed," Sarek added.

McCoy took out his medical Tricorder.

"Can I at least monitor the Captain's vital signs?" McCoy asked politely.

"By all means," Sarek said to McCoy. "If you had not asked to do so, I would have become wary of your presence. The fact that you have asked, proves to me that you are worthy companion of not only your Captain, but Spock as well."

Sarek set his wine glass down and then reached out his boney fingers and placed them on the right side of Kirk's head. Sarek's fingers were slightly adjusting where they began to gently apply pressure.

* * *

**Meanwhile; somewhere in the galaxy;**

The emptiness of space stretched out in all directions and yet there it was; a massive cloud of plasma-energy. Its appearance was that of a massive cloud, but there were also beads of energy strung across it without any rhyme or pattern. The size of the massive phenomenon was roughly that of a typical solar system.

Three alien space ships approached the massive space anomaly. The small force had been sent by a race known as Klingon. The Klingon mission was to study and then destroy the anomaly. Unfortunately, for the Klingons, the entity that dwelled inside the mysterious cloud construct had a mission as well; perfection.

* * *

**Earth;  
San Francisco**

The new Hyatt hotel, which had been constructed only three years earlier, was where Willard Decker had leased an apartment. The massive window that looked out across the bay had become damp with mist. It caused the distant city lights to slightly blur, giving the city an almost majestic look. As he stared out the window, loosening the tie around his neck as he did, he felt the warm hands of his lifelong love, Ilya, reach around him from the back. She pressed her naked body against his and joined him as they both took in the beautiful view of the city and bay beneath them.

"It is so lovely," Ilya said. She slid around and stood before him and began to unbutton his shirt. "We should make love and look out the window as we do. It will make us feel like Gods."

Decker smiled. He watched as her slender fingers undid each button of his shirt. Then he watched as she began to remove his belt.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked.

"Yes," Decker replied. "Colonel Pike was able to get me inside of the old storage warehouse. I was able to find the last of the old circuit cards. He let me take it, under the impression it might help decode Voyager 2's transmission."

"He believed you?" Ilya asked as she watched Decker slip out of his slacks, and then, like her, was nude.

Both were totally oblivious to the fact that anyone could see them, both totally nude, had they gazed upon the view in their window.

"Of course he believed me," Decker said with a smile, as he slid his hands down her back. "I'm the great-great grandson of the man who programmed the probe, why wouldn't he have believed me?"

They kissed passionately.

"They have no idea they handed you the only means to prevent what is to come?" Ilya asked.

"None," she said.

Decker suddenly got down on his knees and kissed the area right beneath her navel. Then he slid his hand down her leg to the tattoo on her calf, and began to caress the image of a pentagram, with the red colored Christian cross in the middle. As he caressed her tattoo, she found the same symbol as well, but unlike hers, he had been born with, just beneath his thinning hair on his head.

"I am here to serve you," she said to him. "I am to be the vessel of your glory."

He took her hands into his, still on his knees, looking up at her. Then he began to pull her to the floor. It had been too long since he had tasted her, and had made love to her. And as every day passed, and the Savior drew closer to Earth, he knew that their time of union was coming to an end.

They made passionate love next to the massive window. Fortunately, no one had seen. At first it had just been the innocent love making between to lovers; but then it became far more intent and violent.

* * *

**DEEP SPACE…**

The battle had not gone well for the Klingon vessels that had come to destroy the cloud. Only one of the three vessels remained, and it was heading away from the strange and now violent cloud of energy. The ship had been damaged and could not attain warp speed. It was now fleeing from the cloud with the best speed it could muster; but it wasn't fast enough. Then, without warning, a tentacle of energy lashed out from the cloud and struck the last of the Klingon fleet.

The Klingon commander gave one of his final orders, and then a stream of information was transmitted on an ultra-high-subspace frequency which had been reserved for such reasons. Then, in true warrior fashion, the Klingon vessel changed course and headed back towards the cloud. Then, from the bowels of the vessel, all of its weapons were fired in one constant barrage.

One by one, the energy weapons that had been fired at the large cloud were absorbed. And then it came; a single ball of blue plasma energy. The other two vessels had been struck by the balls of energy and simply vanished. There was nothing the Klingon commander could do but accept what fate had been dealt as the blue ball of energy struck the Klingon ship. Strange patterns of electromagnetic energy traced throughout the ship; and then ship was gone.

The plasma cloud, as large as it was, never even had the need to change course or slow down during the entire encounter; that's how futile the Klingon effort was. With the fray over, the massive cloud continued on its way; on the long voyage home to the world of upmost perfection; Earth. The Savior was coming…home.


	48. Of God and Man

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Of God and Man**

* * *

**Planet Vulcan  
The cavernous home of Sarek and Amanda**

The evening meal had since been taken from the table, and McCoy, Spock, and Amanda, watched as Sarek and Kirk were in the early stages of a mind-meld. The lights inside the massive dining area were lowered to a faint glow. Sarek spoke to himself, using Vulcan words that the Universal Translator could not recognize.

"What is happening?" McCoy asked Spock with as soft whisper. "What exactly is a Vulcan mind-meld?" McCoy asked Spock.

"To enter another's mind is not a simple task," Spock told McCoy. "The mind has layers upon layers of levels that the mind-meld must traverse that will create a path to complete merging."

Doctor McCoy used his medical Tricorder to monitor Captain Kirk's vital signs as Sarek initiated the mind-meld.

"And you're perfectly sure," McCoy asked Spock, "that this will have no ill affect on Jim?"

"I assure you," Amanda, Sarek's Romulan (Human) wife said to McCoy, "that the mind-meld poses no threat to your captain; tell him, Spock."

"The Vulcan mind-meld," Spock said to McCoy, "is a deep and personal connection between the two minds. My father will literally be able to call up the memories and experiences of the Captain."

"Will Jim feel any pain?" McCoy asked Spock.

"Negative," Spock said. "Each person will experience a mind-meld in their own way, and their mind will catalog the sensations in its own unique way."

As McCoy, Spock and Amanda continued their discussion, McCoy continued to monitor Kirk's vitals. Kirk was still, in fact, sitting next to McCoy as Sarek, who sat on the other side of Kirk, continued with the mind-meld. McCoy adjusted his seat so he could keep tabs on both men.

From James T. Kirk's perspective, he was no longer on the planet Vulcan. Even his ears could not 'detect' the sounds of reality. He could still hear, but what he was sensing was the sound of an ocean. The sound of soft waves coming into the shore, one by one, made him feel at ease. As the crescendo of the waves became louder and then falling through life became more pronounced, Kirk lost all touch with reality.

Suddenly he saw images flash past his existence. The first image he saw was darkness, and then, a bright light. He could hear the sounds of a woman crying, who he immediately recognize as his mother. Kirk had just experienced his own birth. He felt the soft swat on his behind as the birthing doctor encouraged his lungs to breath. The doctor bore a strange likeness; he looked exactly like Sarek, Spock's father.

Sarek looked down at Kirk as he was set down on the soft blanket wrap.

"We are inside your mind," the doctor, Sarek, his voice echoing upon the plains of forever, told the baby Kirk. "I am sorry if I swatted your behind harder than you might have remembered; it was my first attempt at doing so."

Even though Kirk was just a baby in the memory, he could still discern what was happening all around him because it was an actual memory that, over time, had disappeared behind the fog of life. They zoomed forward to when Kirk's brother, Sam, had hit Kirk, quite by accident, with a baseball bat, while playing ball. It was the source of the light scar on Kirk's forehead.

The sound of the ocean waves' crescendo came again, and then several more images flashed by, with Sarek taking on the role of someone inside of the memory. Sarek had become Kirk's father, Kirk's brother, Kirk's teacher. Sarek also became Colonel Pike's daughter. Kirk and the young lady, who was now a strange combination of both Sarek and the girl, were entering the bathroom stall where, if the memory were to have played out, they would have made passionate love.

"I don't think we want to go there," Kirk insisted to Sarek

"As you wish," Sarek agreed.

Then, one by one, images of the past continued; the joys of life, and the sorrows as well. Seeing David die, and then to be with him again, brought on a tide of emotions to Kirk. To Sarek, they were just the memories of another person's life. He took no interest from them. Although; it did suggest to Sarek that Kirk was a man who held deep convictions of loyalty, and friendship. The images of friendship between Kirk and Gary Mitchell were undeniable.

Finally the moment, memory, came. It was the moment when Gary Mitchell had passed his memories on to Kirk. But Mitchell had not only passed on the memories of his existence to Kirk, but also a piece of whatever Gary had become. And it was that fragment of existence that Sarek had entered Kirk's mind to find; a piece of what the Romulans called the Omega Particle. As Sarek pressed the mind-meld deeper to connect with the strange remnant of existence, Kirk began to feel pain; in reality

McCoy showed Spock his Tricorder.

"There is undeniable stress happening," Spock told his mother.

"Captain Kirk's mind seems to be rebelling against Sarek's presence," Amanda said.

"Is that normal?" McCoy asked.

"No Doctor," Spock replied, "It is not."

"I wouldn't be too concerned," Amanda told McCoy. "If my husband should want to, he can break the mind-meld at any moment."

Suddenly Kirk's body rocked with a spasm. Sarek maintained his grip on the right side of Kirk's head. And then, suddenly, Sarek's body was rocked by a spasm.

"What's happening Spock?!" McCoy demanded. "Is there some way we can break the mind-meld?"

"Doing so could pose a health concern to both," Spock replied.

"Spock," Amanda said, "You may have to join them."

"What?" McCoy asked.

"Spock can enter the mind-meld and then act as an anchor and break the meld," Amanda said in a hurried manner.

"Do it Spock," McCoy insisted. "The stress on Kirk's mind could kill him!"

Spock reached out his hand right hand and placed it on the left side of Kirk's head. Spock acted as swiftly as he could; for he knew that both men, Sarek and Kirk, were facing death unless the mind-meld was broken. Spock had never known a mind-meld to become complicated such as this one had. And Amanda's earlier contention that Sarek had the most discipline mind on Vulcan was no idle boast; it was a fact. It was proof enough to Spock that whatever was inside of Kirk's mind could pose a threat to all three of them. But Spock had to try; he had to save them both!

* * *

**Earth  
Willard Decker's suite in downtown San Francisco **

Decker and Ilya were awake as they shared the silence that came after making love. The blanket of the bed they shared were twisted upon the bed, visual evidence that they had shared passion love; aggressive in its entirety.

Ilya, with her head resting on Decker's chest, gently traced her fingers across his chest, down the length of his torso, and then back.

"Tell me the story again; your story?" Ilya asked him.

"I have told you the story of my life before," Decker said with a soft chuckle. "Why do you keep having me to tell you it whenever we are together like this?"

"It is a beautiful story," she protested. "And you tell it well."

"Alright," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

He told her how he was born to two great parents. He was raised in the country of England where he received a most proper education. His parents had come to England from America. His great great grandfather, Morris Decker, was one of the early computer programmers with NASA. His sons, and then their sons, followed him into the profession, and all had worked with NASA at one time, down through the years.

But, unknown to Ilya, the story was a complete lie; and Willard knew it. He had rehearsed the story from the moment he was old enough to be taught. The circumstances of his very being was complex…and as for the truth?

_**FLASHBACK; 1975  
the home of Morris Decker.**_

_Morris Decker could only watch in horror as Dr. Sevrin and his men continued their forced entry into his home._

_"What do you want?" Morris pleaded, as he was held down by Sevrin's men, and as his other men forcibly held Morris's wife, Mandy, naked and tied down to the bed._

_"What is it that I want?" Sevrin asked back to Morris. "I want to save the world from the vile nature it is rooted in. World Wars, Vietnam, oppression of the insignificant, American Idol; pick your poison. Our world needs to be saved, and I know there is only one person in the universe that will bring us such a miracle: God. You will be the father of this movement."_

_Sevrin walked over to where Mandy was tied up on the bad and injected her with three syringes of liquid._

_"What are you doing to her?" Morris demanded._

_"Just preparing her mind and soul," Sevrin said to Morris in a soft voice. "Before I accept new parishioners, I must prepare the body for the rigorous right of ascension. The shot I gave her is a mixture of mind altering substances and a sedative."_

_Morris watched as the intensity in his wife's eyes began to fade as the shot began to take effect._

_Then, after injecting her with the vile, Sevrin pulled a small instrument out of the pouch. He placed it above her navel._

_"This will hurt a little," Sevrin said to Mandy. "But the path to salvation is worth the blood of innocence."_

_And then Sevrin squeezed the small handle that was on the side of the metal instruments. Mandy cried in pain as the object pulled up a small portion of her skin and then literally took a bite. Blood drained out as Mandy cried in pain. Then Sevrin applied some kind of ointment with a small bundled up towel of ice. The mark left on her abdomen, where the device had cut her, was the same symbol that was on the men's masks._

_Unknown to Morris, the device now contained ovum, drawn directly from Mandy's ovaries. A sample of Morris Decker's DNA, taken from the blood he had given at a local blood drive, was also in the possession of Sevrin. The blood drive was done totally for Decker's benefit. The rest of the donated blood was dumped into a local river bed. Only Morris' blood was kept._

_Morris would eventually make the program corrections to the Voyager-2 probe that Sevrin had told him to make, under the threat of killing Morris's five year old son. And, at a designated point in the future, the stolen ovum and DNA would be used to re-create Morris Decker. This future clone, who would be named Willard Decker, would await the return of the God that Sevrin believed in._

**_FLASH BACK ENDS_**

Decker, holding Ilya in his arms, continued to tell her the fake story of his fake storybook life that he had told Ilya all these years they had been together. In actuality her parents were descendants of devout followers of the Cult that Sevrin had created in the 1960s while they were living in India.

Ilya's own parents willingly gave their daughter, after she was branded with the Cult's symbol on her seventh year of life, to the Cult so she would become the eventual sexual companion of Decker when she reached the proper age.

Sevrin lived long enough in age to see the infant clone; Willard Decker, and died three weeks later. He made it known to his disciples that Willard Decker, as a messiah like figure, had to be content in all aspects of life, including sexuality, and more importantly, the belief that men had to dominate not only the world, but the women in their lives; completely.

That was the bane of Ilya's existence; to be the one woman who would satisfy not only the sexual desires of Decker, but the lust of power he had inside of him. Decker had been indoctrinated with the belief, as all men were in the cult, that only by complete and utter domination of a woman could a man really find salvation in the world and in the eyes of God.

Those who knew Decker knew him to be a calm man. His sheer elegance, and his ability to inspire others, could not be denied. But in the bedroom, with Ilya, he released the pent up nature of his being in the violent act of sexual union. Their rough love making was more a kin to being rape; and would not end until his lust was satisfied.

As an adult, Ilya knew her place in the Cult. There were only, at best, five hundred thousand members of the Sevrin cult in the world of the mid twenty-first century. Through the writings of Sevrin, their religion had prepared for the coming days for the past one hundred years, ever since Morris Decker had altered the Voyager-2's programming.

No one in the past had ever questioned Sevrin's beliefs and this vile, anti-female dogma. Sevrin's very life was a mystery even to those who had worshiped the words he told them, and wrote for future believers.

What the early believers could not realized back in the 1960s was that Sevrin was not of their world. His origins began on another world. He was not an Earthling at all. Dr. Sevrin was a Romulan.

His beliefs were truly his, and he had come to Earth, the sister world of Romulas from which Romulans had their roots, to carry out his strange doctrine. Chief among those was that a human, from Earth, a special human he deemed to be Morris Decker's child clone, would be the oracle upon which all of humanity, both on Earth and Romulas; would learn to follow.

Sevrin had, for many years, been in contact with an alien entity in the far reaches of known space. The entity convinced Sevrin of its intention to bring peace to humanity. The entity instructed Sevrin to direct an Earth probe to its place in the universe. The Voyager-2, with Morris' course corrections, and new programs, was sent to the entity in an effort to join with it; and return home; to Earth.

And now, long after his death, Sevrin's beliefs were finally coming to fruition. Sevrin had prophesized that Morris Decker's clone, Willard Decker, would usher in an era of universal peace after joining with the returning God. Sevrin's disciples carried on his beliefs, even after his death, and kept the ovum and Morris' DNA. And then, on a day that Sevrin's writing had designated in the year 2010, the life created by the DNA that had been combined with the ovum, was planted. Willard Decker was born nine months later.

As Decker closed his eyes for more rest, he drifted off to sleep. Unknown to him, in the other room, the circuit-card he had taken from NASA, and had a rebuilt with components saved through the years, began to blink a red light. The circuit-card, which was actually a communications board, began to blink. Voyager-2 was, at last, calling home.

Continued…


	49. The Remnant

**Star Trek: V'ger**

**The Remnant**

* * *

**The Planet Vulcan**

**Sarek and James T Kirk; within a mind-meld…**

James T. Kirk found himself looking out over a giant valley below the mountain side he stood upon. In the distance he could see the shoreline of a reddish hued ocean. It was morning on the strange alien world, as the world's star begin to kiss the horizon in the distance.

Even though the day had just begun, there was already enough light to cast the growing influence of day, and the shrinking velvet touch of night. The stars, which had been plentiful, had already, began to fade. Only a few remained visible in the sky directly above him. Soon, however, the light of day would push those stars behind the dominant tapestry of day as well. Kirk found the strange neon glow to all that he saw strangely alluring.

The alien world was calm, as calm as any place Kirk had ever known. Where was he? Kirk didn't really know. All that he knew was that his mind had become one with Sarek's mind. Kirk rationalized that he was no longer just experiencing his own memories, but Sarek's memories as well.

"I have never seen a world as beautiful as Vulcan," Sarek said to Kirk as he walked up and stood next to the starship captain from Earth.

"I didn't think a Vulcan would use such, how should I put it, colorful metaphors, to describe their world," Kirk said to Sarek.

Sarek nodded.

"You are quite right Kirk," Sarek said. "Though, through the mind-meld between us, I cannot escape the humanity of your existence."

"I see," Kirk said with a grin. "So then it is my fault you used the word beautiful, because my mind is affecting yours'."

"You are wise beyond your years, Kirk," Sarek said with what Kirk could swear was a touch of humor, though he never would say so. "Though I am placing no blame."

"What is this place?" Kirk asked.

"This is the valley of Ch'quay," Sarek said to Kirk. "The red ocean you can see in the distance is one of the last regions of surface water on Vulcan."

Kirk looked down at valley, and thought he could see bonfires, though he could not be sure.

"Does anybody live in the valley below?" Kirk asked.

"Yes, in fact there are nomadic tribes that exist in the valley; tribes that no one in the cities, or Vulcan's government, has had contact with in over five-hundred of your Earth years."

"That is amazing," Kirk said in awe.

Sarek arched an eyebrow, something which Kirk surmised Spock had learned to copy as a child.

"Would it also surprise you to know that some of those nomadic tribes are humans; descendants, in fact, of the humans who were brought to Vulcan?" Sarek asked.

"It is very intriguing," Kirk replied.

Kirk picked up a rock, and threw it out towards the distance before him. Kirk's sudden movement, as he threw the rock, caused Kirk to nearly fall off the cliff on which he and Sarek stood.

Sarek reached out and pulled Kirk back from certain death. Sarek ended up throwing Kirk back, in order to stop the young human from falling with the chuck of the cliff that was now smashing down the mountain side. Kirk managed to scrape his hands on the rough ground. The tearing of skin on the palm of his hand caused a slight loss of blood, and pain as well. Kirk rapped his hand in the front area of this shirt.

"Ummm," Kirk said looking at his slight wound, "that was interesting. I didn't think I could feel pain inside of a mind-meld."

Sarek dusted himself off, as he looked at Kirk.

"And death," Sarek added. "Even though we are in a mind-meld, Kirk, and our minds are one, the realism of this union must be treated as fact. If you had fallen, your mind would have perceived it as real. You would have died on the rocks below; your mind would have simply stopped."

"What about you?" Kirk asked. "What if you had fallen with me.

"I am a Vulcan," Sarek said. "I have trained my mind for nearly one hundred of your years. I would have not found death."

"I will remember that," Kirk said with a smile. Sarek reached down his hand and helped Kirk back up. "Why has your memory brought us here?" Kirk asked.

"I believe we are about to find out," Sarek said, pointing to the distant horizon.

Kirk looked to the horizon. Vulcan's star had now completely risen above the red ocean, creating a most spectacular collision of reflected light and the reddish hue of the sky. And then Kirk saw it; a bright point of light, far in the distance, that had not been obscured by the sun's brightness. And the small beam of light was getting brighter.

And then, suddenly, Kirk began to hear a strange sound. And as it grew louder, he knew he had heard the sound before. During his final conflict Gary Mitchell there was the sound of screams, millions of screams, pounding inside of Kirk's head as Gary Mitchell attacked him. It was that sound he was hearing now.

"Do you hear that sound?" Kirk asked Sarek.

"Yes, I do," Sarek replied. "They are screams of some kind."

Kirk looked at Sarek, with concern on his face.

"When I was being confronted by Gary Mitchell, I heard that exact sound in my mind," Kirk told Sarek.

"Fascinating," Sarek replied.

"What do you think that bright object is in the distance, beyond Vulcan's star?" Kirk asked Sarek as he pointed at it.

Before Sarek could respond, someone else spoke.

"Father, Captain Kirk," the voice said from behind Kirk and Sarek.

They turned to find Spock standing behind them.

"Spock," Sarek said, "you have joined the mind-meld?"

"Yes Father," Spock said. "Mother has become quite concerned that you cannot break the meld."

"You're mother always allows her emotions to interfere with judgment, she will never learn," Sarek said. "I am not sure as to why she must show such concern in matters such as these."

"Because she loves you," Kirk said to Sarek, providing the most simplest rational.

"Women are strange creatures," Spock said.

"Indeed," Kirk and Sarek responded in unison.

The bright light in the distance began to move its position.

"What is that thing?" Kirk asked as the glowing prick of light positioned itself high above where they were standing.

"I believe it is what the Romulans refer to as an Omega Particle." Sarek said. "When Gary Mitchell gave you his memories, Kirk, it would seem that he also passed on to you the remnant of what that light is. We must meld with it. Perhaps the Romulans are right, and these Particles hold vital information to the history of the Universe," Sarek said as he reached out his hands.

As he did, the screams began to get louder.

"Father," Spock said, nearly yelling to be heard, "this is not a logical course of action. We have no way of telling what may happen if you try to communicate with it."

Sarek didn't listen. He began to open his mind to the strange glowing light above where they all stood.

"Father," Spock repeated. "You are not only risking your life, you are risking the captain's life as well."

Sarek closed his eyes and began to slowly chant the ancient ceremonial Vulcan words to initiate a mind-meld.

Spock walked to a point behind his father, and then reached out and placed his right hand on the lower part of Sarek's neck.

Sarek whirled around and stared at Spock with anger in his eyes.

"_The nerve-pinch will not work on me, boy_," Sarek said. Although it was Sarek's voice, it had the tone of a total stranger.

"No?" Kirk asked, "Maybe this will."

And then Kirk threw an uppercut, smashing his fist into Sarek's chin, knocking the Vulcan out.

Amanda and McCoy watched in surprised fright as Sarek, who was sitting on one of the couches next to Kirk, fell to the ground. They went to Sarek's side. Then McCoy looked up to where Kirk and Spock were still sitting and watched as they both opened their eyes. Amanda looked as well at Spock and Kirk.

"You did it!" Amanda said to Spock, excitedly.

"Mother," Spock said to Amanda. "The blatant use of emotions is not needed. All I we have done is ended the mind-meld between Sarek and Captain Kirk."

"Oh, that's all?" McCoy asked in an annoyed tone.

McCoy was scanning Kirk and Sarek.

"There is no other way to put it my son," Amanda said to Spock.

"Thank you," Kirk said to Spock. "Was the Omega Particle trying to communicate with us via the use of Sarek?"

"There is insufficient data now to speculate. Perhaps we will never know," Sarek said as he came around. "You should not have ended the meld, Spock. As for you Kirk," Sarek said. "Whatever that particle was is now a part of what you are. Perhaps communicating with it in this fashion may not be wise, but I believe the day will come when you will find out exactly what it is."

"Jim; we'll look more into this when we get home," McCoy said to Kirk.

Amanda helped Sarek to his feet and then back onto the sofa.

"You seem fatigued," Amanda said to Sarek.

"Yes, my wife, you are quite correct." Sarek said.

Suddenly Kirk's communicator beeped, and before he could flip it open there was chime at the door to large home that had been built inside of the fold between to mountains. As Sarek and Amanda went to answer it, Kirk flipped opened his communicator.

"Kirk here," Kirk said into the device.

_"Cap'n," Scotty's voice replied. "We have just received an urgent message, via subspace, from Colonel Pike. He is ordering the Enterprise to return to Earth as soon as possible."  
_  
"Alright," Kirk said. "We'll be right up."

Sarek and Amanda came back over to Kirk and Spock who were now standing as well.

"The Enterprise has been recalled to Earth for some reason," Kirk told Sarek.

"I believe I know why," Sarek said. "I have just been given a report that an anomaly has been detected in deep space, and it is heading directly toward Earth. It has already destroyed several ships, including three Klingon vessels that have tried to investigate what it is."

"When will it reach Earth?" Kirk asked.

"Our best estimates would put it in Earth orbit in seven of your days," Sarek said to Kirk.

"Seven days?" Kirk asked, pessimistically. "It will take us three-weeks to get there at our best speed."

Spock looked to Sarek. Sarek looked to Spock. Sarek nodded.

"Captain Kirk," Sarek said. "If you would allow our Vulcan Science and Research orbiting platform to do so, modifications could be made to your vessel that would allow you to make the same voyage," Sarek paused, "in just two of your days."

"Can you do this without violating your Prime-Directive?" McCoy asked.

"I will instigate seldom used protocols to allow your world to enter our Federation before a full vote can be taken. It would risk my stature in the Federation, to which I am sure the Andorians will find much humor with," Sarek said, more so to Spock and Amanda than to Kirk.

Sarek looked to Kirk. "The unknown anomaly approaching your world is sending out a signal using high-frequency subspace frequencies. It is also sending out a binary signal, to your world, for reasons unknown. I believe it is quite possible that your world faces imminent danger."

"Why are you doing this for our ship?" Kirk asked. "We thank you, we really do. But why go through all this, risking your career even, for us?"

Sarek pondered Kirk's question and then responded.

"I believe your world, your kind, has a uniqueness that can only benefit the universe; not threaten it." Sarek said to McCoy and Kirk. "The Romulans may have come from your world, originally, but I believe there is something inherently postive about your world. To let it be destroyed, now, would be wrong. Go now," Sarek said to Kirk. "Go back to your world; it needs you."

Kirk nodded to Sarek.

Four hours later, after the diligent work of the Vulcan engineers, and Scotty, the modifications to the warp flow, along with the complimentary formulas, were completed. Spock remained in engineering to assist Scotty with the first implementation of the new warp engine modifications.

On the Bridge, Kirk sat in his command chair.

"Sir," Uhura said from her communications post, "the Vulcans have signaled for our departure."

Kirk looked to Sulu.

"The new course back to Earth has been programmed," Sulu said to Kirk. "All systems report ready."

"Take us out," Kirk said. "Our own world needs us Mr. Sulu. Let us hope we can get back there in time."

"We will," Sulu said, "I know we will."

And with that, the USS Enterprise banked to the left and then headed away from Vulcan. Half-an-hour later, and out of the influence of Vulcan's gravity, the Enterprise streaked away at a new high speed of warp; factor eight!

* * *

**STARFLEET Headquarters  
Archer Island (off the coast of Daytona Florida)  
The office of Colonel Pike.**

Colonel Pike listened intently as one of the new hot shot commanders gave a quick briefing about the approaching anomaly in space. The commander was named Jean-Luc Picard.

Pike thought to himself, Picard also came with all of the arrogance that accompanied most Frenchmen. Pike liked it. Picard haf scored higher marks during his training than any officer before him, including James T. Kirk.

"So what are you telling me?" Pike finally asked as Picard finished his briefing.

"That in little over six days, the anomaly will be here," Picard responded. "The massive cloud like membrane that surrounds the center core will play havoc with the Earth's atmosphere."

"Has there been any luck with responding to the signal it keeps putting out?" Pike asked.

Picard shook his head, as he looked down at the data pad he was holding.

"No sir," Picard replied. "Mister Decker just arrived at the science lab. But last I spoke with him, he said he had as of yet found no way to respond to the code combination that his great-great grandfather implemented with the Voyager 2 probe."

"Thank you for the report, you are dismissed," Pike said.

Picard left the room.

With no other options, Pike went over to the hidden safe in his private office and opened it up. Inside was a special wireless media device that contained very top secret information and numbers. One piece of that information He read through the number-log and found the one he wanted, and then pressed the "CALL" icon on the pad.

"Yes?" a voice asked Pike.

"Are you following the situation?" Pike asked the person on the other end of the call."

"Affirmative," the voice replied. "We are formulating a plan. Stand by for further details." The voice replied.

Pike set his secret media pad back inside the safe and closed it. Starfleet may have been out of options; but Section-31 never was.

Continued…


	50. Arriving

**STAR TREK: FRANK GRAYSON**

**Arriving**

**by Robert Benson**

**Romulan ship art by Milton Perry**

* * *

…A farm house with a stream of white hickory smoke coming out of its chimney, sat alone in the darkness; miles outside of Tacoma Washington. **It was the year of 1959.**

A strange glowing object in the sky hovered, and then, disappeared behind a group of trees. It was nearly the size of a small airplane, but with very little sound. It seemed to have looked for the best place to land, and then it did.

Mark Walton, and his wife Betsy, lived in a small cabin in the back woods of Tacoma Washington. Their three children had all grown up and long left the nest to find their own lives. Mark and Betsy remained in the large five story house, and pitter-pattered around in a simple existence. There were neighbors, but they were at least seven miles away, which meant that Mark and Betsy lived solitary lives; far from the hustle and bustle of city life. They had worked hard all their lives as elementary teachers, and they now found comfort in the small and quiet lives they now lived. Who could blame them? Life was good.

But when the small glowing object came over their house, and then made its way toward the nearby woods, Mark was suspicious. He had long kept a shotgun in the main hall closet, and now after all these years, he was prepared to use it.

"What are you doing?" Betsy asked her husband of forty-years. They had each already celebrated their sixty-second birthdays earlier in the year.

"I'm going to go out there and see what it was," Mark replied as he struggled to put on a two sizes too small sweater, and a ball cap.

"You ain't got no reason to go out there," Betsy told him. "It was just one of them shooting stars."

"You think that was a shooting star?" Mark replied with a laugh. "Woman, are you sure you aren't sipping too much from the cooking sherry?"

"Well, if you really gotta go be a man," she said, "then please take Kipper with you."

Kipper was their small white poodle. Though Kipper was just a poodle, he had the belief he was really a Doberman, or German Sheppard at heart.

"That old mutt," Mark said looking at the eager dog. "The best he could do is pee on the invader. Why would the Ruskies decide to invade us on this night anyway? Jack Benny is on in ten minutes."

"Well then," Betsy said, "you had better get out there and go catch yourself a cold before it comes on."

"I'll be back as soon as I'm sure things are safe," Mark added.

"Ooooh," Betsy added, "I feel safe already."

"Hey," Mark said, "stop with the teasing. And call the Sheriff if you hear my gun go off. And don't be scared," Mark added, "I'll keep you safe."

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass when you go out into that cold and biting air," Betsy suggested with a laugh.

"Woman," Mark said as he headed out the door, with Kipper right behind him, "I ought to…" and then his voice trailed off as he made his way towards the trees.

* * *

The ship's cloaking device was working at a nominal level now. During the entry into Earth's atmosphere, the cloaking device became unstable, forcing Sevrin to use other means to avoid detection. Finally, and without much trouble, he had found a perfect landing place.

Confident he had arrived undetected; Sevrin began to explore his options. He had come to Earth, after being exiled from Romulus, to find a new cauldron of believers. His own world found his beliefs too dangerous, and had given him a choice; Death or Exile. He chose exile. The exile verdict was fine with Sevrin since he ultimately believed that the savior of all humans, Earthlings and Romulans, was tied to the belief that a messiah would soon come along, and with him, peace and salvation. The messiah would come to Earth; the home of humanity.

Sevrin knew this belief to be true after making contact, using Vulcan mind disciplines, with a life-force in space. The fact he was half Romulan/half Vulcan gave him this unique ability. The entity, over time convinced Sevrin that it could come to Earth, and or Romulus, and bring with it peace; a millennia of peace. To be sure, it would take time to prepare. The entity would require much sacrifice; as well as a beacon to lead the entity to Earth. For that, Sevrin would have to come to Earth, establish a cauldron of believers, and then await further instructions from the entity as to how to bring the life-force to Earth.

And now, at least, he was on Earth. Sevrin prepared to leave his small two man craft to begin his new life on Earth. He took a scanner with him, and then climbed down the craft. He took several scans, and found humanoid life forms very scarce in the area. However, one of the Earthlings, no doubt having seen Sevrin's craft, was approaching.

Sevrin was wrong about one thing. His craft was not undetected; either by Mark...or...

* * *

**San Diego California...1959**

Two humans had been stationed on Earth so as to protect the young civilization from alien contamination. The humans themselves had, in fact, been abducted from Earth by a superior race of aliens nearly three hundred years earlier. They were then trained, and became part of a quiet force that ensured that near-warp civilizations were not taken advantage of.

Though they had settled in with ordinary human lives, their surveillance equipment had detected Sevrin's craft, and had alerted them to the area of Washington State. So, the two humans, a man and a woman, prepared to make their way towards Washington via a transporter device they kept hidden inside their otherwise normal house.

Agent 201, who went by the name of Harvey Benton, and his wife 347, who went by the name of Mary Benton, hurried down the stairs of their home. Harvey worked at a local bank, where as Mary was a stay at home wife; this gave her the luxury of monitoring all subspace-communications for any alert.

"How was work?" Mary asked Harvey as they both went down the stairs.

Though they were 'married', they were actually professionals who had different hobbies and only shared the house under the illusion of being married.

"It was okay," Harvey said as they both went into the secret room at the bottom of their house.

Harvey began to activate the Beta-5 Computer as Mary moved the couch out of the way of the wall which hid the strange transporter-device. Hidden behind the bookshelf, which slowly opened when Mary removed the book Moby Dick from one of the shelves, was a massive metallic door which a large pinwheel locking mechanism. After programming the device with the proper coordinates, the pinwheel began to spin. The door opened and a strange looking vortex came into view.

"Did you get everything?" Harvey asked.

Mary opened up a hidden closet door and threw Harvey a backpack stuffed full with special equipment.

"I think so," Mary said. "Oh darn," she said as she reopened the closet. "I forgot the bug repellent. They have tons of mosquitoes in Washington I hear."

"Good idea lets go," Harvey said as he put the backpack on and headed, with Mary beside him, towards the opening of the door and the strange vortex.

"I hope it isn't a Cardassian," Mary said.

"You and me both," Harvey agreed. "Unless they bathe, they can really sm…."

Harvey's voice trailed off as they both entered the vortex, and vanished. The metallic door closed behind them, and the bookshelf slid back in front of it. The couch, which was on a special track, was also returned to position; 201 and 347 were gone.

Continued…..


	51. The Sheep

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**The Sheep **

* * *

**EARTH**  
**Spring 1959**

With his shotgun held out straight, Mark Walton peaked through the trees and saw the strange looking craft that had landed in a small clearing. It was very odd seeing the rustic setting, trees, grass, flowers, even a small stream cascading down the side of a small slice of the nearby mountain range, and amidst it all, the craft that resembled, in some respects, a bird of prey. Mark Walton was no expert on flying craft, but even he could determine that where ever the craft was from; it was not from Earth.

"My cloaking device gave out," A voice said from somewhere. Mark looked about, looking for the person who had said spoken; but to no avail.

"Who said that?" Mark asked.

"You cannot see me, cousin," the voice replied, "I am invisible to your eyes through the application of a hand-held cloaking device. It's amazing how backward this world is in terms of technology."

"I don't care about any of that," Mark said, his ears attempting to isolate where the voice was coming from, "get off my property!"

Sevrin had angled around a few of the trees and now stood directly behind Walton. He pressed the button on his hand-held cloaking device, and then shimmered into existence behind Walton. Then he reached out and grabbed Mark Walton by the back of the neck, and choked him.

"I am most sorry," Sevrin said, "you are too old for my needs."

Sevrin snapped Walton's neck, killing him instantly. Sevrin had come to Earth to reignite his cult. To do that, he needed young men, and women, so as to breed an entire new generation of followers.

A Romulan's strength was not drastically different than an Earthling's. Both were humans, Romulans having been taken from Earth a couple thousand years in Earth's past; from the Roman Empire to be more exact. The Vulcans, who were covertly visiting Earth in those times, had feared that a passing comet would destroy all life on Earth, and evacuated ten-thousand Romans to the Vulcan home-world. Humanity, on Earth, did indeed survive the comet's impact with Earth. The Romans on Vulcan would eventually rise up on that alien world, depart from it, and found a new Roman empire light-years away and call themselves Romulans.

Sevrin, a cultist who was exiled from Romulas due to his beliefs, had come to Earth. With him he brought his belief that a human from Earth would one day come to power as a messianic savior, who would combine his being with that of an alien entity Sevrin had made contact with, and eventually rule the entire universe.

After a couple hours spent repairing the cloaking device on his ship, Sevrin activated the device, rendering his Romulan space craft invisible. Sevrin stepped out of his ship, and headed toward Walton's house in the distance. Sevrin looked at the scanner he held in his hand, and saw that there was only one person in the house, no doubt Walton's mate. Sevrin would do away with her, as he had with her husband, then he would burn their bodies and use their home, for now, as a base of operations. The Walton's home would suffice as the starting point for his new covenant on Earth.

Sevrin walked past an old beat-up pickup truck and the smaller vehicle next to it. He made his way up the deck of steps, and then entered the home.

There were family pictures all along the hallway wall that Sevrin walked down. He could pretty much see the married life of Mark Walton, the man Sevrin had just killed, before his very eyes. He saw pictures of Mark and his wife, their kids in various parts of their lives. It had been a happy and warm family. Sevrin almost felt pity for the dead man, and his soon to be dead wife. He made his way into the kitchen, and there she was; the woman who had been in most of the pictures with Mark Walton.

"Hello," Sevrin said.

Betsy whirled around from the oven she stood at, holding a spatula.

"Who are you!?" She asked nervously.

"I killed your husband, and I just wanted you to know that it was not personal in any way," Sevrin told her.

He had studied Human History and their languages very carefully while in various schools on Romulus. Even though Romulus had nothing to do with its former home-world, they still studied the history of Earth. For some, studying Earth had become a lifelong hobby. Earth had evolved so differently from the time of the Roman era, when the Romulans had been taken from Earth. With a storied history of war and social upheaval, Earth provided much fodder for schools on the base nature of mankind.

"You killed him?" Betsy asked as helpless shock overtook her.

"Yes," Sevrin said. "He was too old for what I need. I must also point out that you are too old as well."

"You're going to kill me too?" Betsy asked in a half-dazed state of mind as Mark's death still affected her.

Sevrin raised his arm and then aimed a weapon at her.

"I am so sorry," Sevrin said. "However, for both of our worlds to survive, I must do this."

* * *

Mark Walton's body was found near the clearing, under several broken off branches. He suffered from burns to his body. They were the kind of wounds caused by a typical Type-2 disrupter only used by the Romulans. Agent 347, aka Mary Benton, had bent down to feel the pulse of the man. At first hoping he was still alive.

"He's dead. These wounds were caused by a Romulan weapon," Mary told Agent 205, AKA her husband/Harvey Benton.

"Romulans," Harvey said as he kept a close look out in case someone had come across the scene.

"I don't understand," Mary said. "I thought the Romulans, even though they are not in the Federation, would never come to a world like this that had been deemed off limits."

"Well," Harvey said, "we're not part of the Federation and we're here too. Who are we to talk?"

"Good point," Mary said as she stood up.

Harvey looked at a device he was holding.

"The Romulan's ship is parked right over there," Harvey said. "I can't believe they still use the low-quality cloaking devices."

"What we do now?" Mary asked.

"According to my scans, the Romulan headed to the home on the other side of these trees. I suggest we follow; and quickly."

The two agents, they themselves taken from Earth three-hundred years earlier and trained to help ease worlds into the fabric of Warp capable species, headed towards the home on the other side of the trees. Moments later they arrived and entered the home.

They found Betsy Walton on one of the couches, dead. It was clear, from the track marks on the carpet, that she had been dragged into the room and placed on the couch.

"Why go through all the care of putting her in here?" Mary asked.

"I don't know," Harvey replied. "But he's gone."

Then they heard the sound of a motor. They looked out the window of the front room and saw the smaller vehicle driving down the long drive way.

"Come on!" Harvey said to Mary.

They made their way out of the house and to the beat up pickup truck and got in. Harvey took a strange device from his pocket, held it over the ignition, twisted it, and then the truck started. Without a single word, he floored it and then the truck was careening down the path.

The pickup was surprising pretty fast for its age. They were actually gaining on the car. The car suddenly turned down a dirt path, and the truck soon followed, as it trailed the dust being kicked up by the car. There was a railroad crossing up ahead. Both vehicles saw the warning signs. Without any care, the small car zoomed across the tracks just as the two warning road-blocks began to lower.

Harvey, who was eyeing the approaching train, decided to floor it even more, knowing the wait for the train would cause them to lose whoever was in the car. The wait would give the car too much of a head start to recover from.

Mary wasn't so sure. She watched as the train approached. The beat up truck smashed through the guard railings and then dived across the track.

The screams from Mary were muffled by the sound of the locomotion hitting the pickup truck. At first it carried the truck a good four-hundred feet. And then, before Harvey and Mary could get out, the pickup truck exploded.

Sevrin watched it all from his rear view mirror. He didn't know who they were, but he was quite sure they had come to stop him. But now, with their deaths, he would begin to build his small flock of followers and prepare for the years to come.

And it would all culminate with his vision about a man, named Willard Decker, who would lead all of humanity, on Earth and on Romulas, into an era of salvation.

Continued…


	52. Course Plotted V'ger

**STAR TREK: V'ger**

**Course Plotted; V'ger!**

_Overview_

After the failed attempt by some nations to establish a counter world-government, those nations that tried and others that were caught in the middle of the political battle of wills joined the United Nations. And so, for the first time in Earth's history, the entire world was now under one government. It wasn't perfect, and it definitely had issues to iron out, but for the most part, the one world government was off to a good start.

The office of the United Earth President, the official title of the head of the United Nations, had gone to Harsha Jadhav of India. Jadhav, having been instrumental in resolving long standing issues between India/Pakistan and India/China, was seen as one of the greatest peace brokers in Earth's history. He was also a key player in bringing in many of the rogue countries that had been attracted by the late John Gill's desire to establish a competing world government. The new world government had only been in power for three months when the threat from space, the returning Voyager Probe….

The USS Enterprise had only returned to Earth for six hours before she was sent back out on perhaps its most important mission; to stop the approaching space anomaly that had once been the space probe Voyager-2 from returning to its launch point, Earth. The population of Earth had become worried, and in some cases chaos had caused minimal rioting through-out the world.

But with the return of the Starship Enterprise to Earth and at the behest of their new Vulcan allies, the arrival of a Federation armada to assist as much as possible, calm had set in. Even the Romulans, who descended from humans removed from Earth thousands of years in the past, had sent several of their finest ships to augment the armada. Kirk, Pike, and Sarek as well believed the Romulans were also trying to make a show of force, perhaps a warning of troubles to come between the cousin civilizations; the Romulans and Earthlings.

Colonel Pike's orders were short and simple for Captain Kirk and his crew. They were to ferry Decker and his associate Ilya out to the approaching anomaly and let Decker try to make contact with the probe. For that, Captain Kirk scheduled a detailed briefing with Decker and the senior officers of the USS Enterprise. The briefing would commence two hours upon leaving Earth. Rendezvous with the anomaly would be twenty-seven hours after the briefing.

-

Decker and Ilya were shown to the quarters they would share. Once they were alone, Decker removed the outdated circuit card he had retrieved from NASA. The archaic diodes were flashing, which was a signal to Decker that the old programs, designed by the man he had been cloned from, Morris Decker, were working perfectly and were already making preliminary contact with whatever was awaiting them at the space anomaly.

"Will it work?" Ilya asked, as Decker sat at a desk inside the quarters and worked on the device.

"Yes," Decker responded. "In fact, it is working now. Once we get there, I will inform the Captain to let us leave the ship in one of their shuttlecrafts to implement the activation code for the Voyager probe."

"Is that what the signal from the probe is asking for?" Ilya asked.

"You could say that in some respects," Decker told her. "Sevrin was in contact for many decades with whatever life form it is that altered Voyager-2's program. But even with that, it still needs the activation code. Once that is given, I believe that is when the entire universe will change and salvation will come."

"And this was all prophesized by Dr. Sevrin," Ilya said, her eyes bulging at the glory of the situation. "And you," Ilya said as she began to massage Decker's neck, "you will usher in a new era of salvation as our savior!"

She slid her hands down his back and around his back and began to intimately massage him. She knew what she was initiating and she wished for it; his anger and his passion. It was her sole purpose for living, indeed the purpose for all women or so at least their sect believed.

He took one of her wrists in his hand and bent it back, twisting in his seat towards her as he did. She began to whimper in pain as he led her to the bed. Knowing that their violent act of love making would be too loud for the ship, he enhanced the room's sound-proofing with a device he had brought with them just for this purpose. The device put out a sound-shield and would allow them both to be as loud as their passion demanded. And more importantly, as violent as Decker would need in order to control his human desires. He watched as she stood by the bed and shed her clothes.

"Take me; my savior," she said as she closed her eyes; knowing full well what would happen next and he slowly removed his own clothes, and the belt around his slacks.

-

Guinan stood behind her bar, polishing some of the shot glasses, and noticed a familiar face sitting on the other side. It was none other than Nadya Chekov. Guinan surveyed the rest of 10-Forward as well, and noticed the unease from the others, directed at Chekov.

It was now common knowledge the Chekov had become infected with a space parasite when she returned to Mars with the Reliant's crew. The parasite had taken over her mind and at times forced her to do violent acts. One of those acts was the cold blooded murder of two men. But due to the fact that she was under the control of the parasite, all charges were dropped in the matter. The parasite had been removed. But her actions obviously didn't sit well with some of the crew members of the Enterprise or even with Chekov's own family.

Guinan went over to where Chekov was sitting. And as she did, Uhura entered 10-Forward and also came over to where Chekov was and sat down next to her.

"It's good to have you back," Guinan said to Chekov.

The young Russian woman was so naive when she had first come aboard the ship, Guinan thought to herself. Now, with the events that had happened with the parasite and the loss of the man she loved, Gary Mitchell, Chekov seemed to have aged decades in the past year.

"I'm back because I have nowhere else to go," Chekov said to Guinan.

Uhura twisted Chekov's barstool so that they were face to face. Then she placed her arms on Chekov's shoulders.

"Now you look here," Uhura said. "You and I are friends, and there is no way I'm going to let you do this to yourself. If I have to," Uhura said as she looked over Chekov's shoulder and over at the others who were casting looks of doubt at Chekov, "I will go over there and kick the shit out of those bastards."

"No," Chekov said, "that would not be the right thing to do."

"And," Guinan added, "I would have to take the damages out of your salary."

The three women shared a short laugh.

An announcement came over the ship wide communication system.

"This is the Captain," Kirk's voice said.

"God, that man has a sexy voice," Guinan said to the approval of the other two.

"All senior officers please report to briefing room A-3; Kirk out."

Uhura stood to leave, but Chekov didn't.

"Hey, that includes you, biatch," Uhura said in a playful voice.

Chekov couldn't help but break a small, coy smile. Then she stood and joined Uhura and they both headed out of 10-Forward, on their way to the briefing room. But right before leaving, Uhura aimed one last mean stare at the group of officers who had been staring at Chekov with disdain. And then she flipped them off. One of the officers began to stand up to challenge her offensive gesture, but another man held him down.

**Continued**


	53. Armada

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Armada**

The main briefing room aboard the USS Enterprise took on a tone of seriousness. There were small pockets of conversations. Captain Kirk sat at the head of the table. To his left was his first officer Spock. Next to Spock, and representing the Federation fleet which would accompany the Enterprise as it confronted the approaching Voyager-probe, and the anomaly in which it was shielded, was Ambassador Sarek. Next to Sarek sat the ranking Klingon commander, K'rg.

A fleet of fifteen Klingon battle-ships were part of the armada. The Klingons, who were allied to the Federation, but not part of it, had joined the armada due to three of its own ships having been destroyed by anomaly as it first entered the quadrant. The Klingons agreed to follow the lead of the Vulcans on this matter, and to honor the territorial integrity of Earth. On the other side of the table were the Cardassian, Gorn and Romulan representatives, each government having also contributed forces to the endeavor. Just as the Klingons had, the others had also agreed to follow the Vulcan's lead; for now.

At opposite side of Kirk, at the other head of the table, was William Decker. Kirk studied the man, as the briefing was nearing its start. Decker was a direct descendant from the man who had programmed the Voyager-2 probe, Morris Decker, as far back as the year 1975 (past chapters have gone into this in more depth). In fact, Kirk thought to himself, the resemblance was uncanny. Kirk looked down at a photo of Morris Decker that he had retrieved from ship's computer. He showed the picture to Spock, who then arched an eyebrow.

"Indeed fascinating," Spock said to Kirk, softly.

Uhura, who sat at one of the side stations, stood up and spoke.

"This briefing is called to order," She told them all.

All of the side conversations simmered down and everyone turned their attention to Captain James T Kirk.

"I want to first welcome and offer thanks to all of you," Kirk said, as he looked one by one at the gathered table of fleet commanders of the different alien races. "I know from conferring with Ambassador Sarek that these kinds of gatherings are rare. And in the future if any threats come along down the line, I can assure you that Earth will stand with you at that time should your worlds be threatened as mine is."

"Let us be clear," Klingon fleet commander K'gr said through fanged teeth, "we come for retribution. The only thing stopping my fleet from just attacking the anomaly is the presence of the Vulcan Ambassador. We would also like to know the true mission of the probe and to see if your world will be held responsible for what has happened. Trust me, huuuuuman, I hope on your part we will only find innocence."

The tension in the room had just been ramped up.

"We have no idea," Kirk told K'rg, "how the probe, which we admit was launched from Earth in the distant past, managed to evolve into whatever form it has evolved into. Suffice to say that at the time of the probe's launch our science here on Earth was incapable of creating then or even now this kind of technology."

"Perhaps," Gul Dukat, representing the Cardassian fleet said, "you have unknown allies which provided you the technology."

"We Klingons never agree with the random utterances of the Cardassians," K'rg said with disrespect, "though on this matter; we do."

"How grateful we are," Dukat said with sarcasm in his voice.

"I may have more to offer on this subject," Sarek said to them all. "I have been noticing an undetermined growing conciseness as we grow closer to the anomaly," Sarek said.

"As have I," Spock added.

"Vulcan. Are you trying to tell us," the Romulan fleet commander, Praefectus'alae Tnofie, a Romulan female, said, "that this anomaly is alive?"

Sarek looked to her. It was clear to Kirk that these two, Sarek and Tnofie, did not care for each other, but had known each other long before this current incident.

"Once again, Praefectus'alae Tnofie," Sarek said to her, "you have managed to repeat what I have said without actually repeating what I just said."

As Sarek and Tnofie continued their tit-for-tat, Spock handed Kirk a note. Written in as a matter of fact was a simple piece of information. The note read:

_Praefectus'alae Tnofie is my mother's sister._ (_Remember readers; Vulcans, in this story descend from Romans taken to Vulcan 2,000 years ago_.) Kirk had to stop himself from chuckling out loud. The interesting facts between the Romulans and the Vulcans just kept getting more interesting as time went by. It reminded Kirk of one of those old programs his grandmother subjected him to; a soap-opera called _General Hospital_.

Suddenly, from the other end of the table from Kirk, William Decker with his stunning wife sitting beside him spoke.

"Excuse me," Decker said to them all. "Voyager-2 is just a probe. It was launched by my great-great grandfather. It was programmed with a return variable should it find data so remarkable that it had to make its report only upon returning to Earth."

Scotty, the Enterprise's chief engineer, who sat in one of the satellite chairs chuckled. McCoy who sat next to him shook his head in embarrassment at Scotty's outburst.

"With all due respect, mist'a Decker," Scotty said out loud, his thick Scottish accent barely discernable, and with everyone now looking at him for having done so. "Twentieth century probes were not constructed to project large plasma cloud defenses, let alone the fire power needed to destroy the vessels it came upon."

"Yes, I agree, they weren't," Decker replied, but not once looking at Scotty. Decker kept his eyes on Kirk.

"Then," Kirk said, trying to put it all very simply, "what is Voyager-2?"

"I do not really know," Decker said with a fake smile, or at least, that's what Kirk believed it was. "For the safety of Earth," Decker said, "Starfleet has assigned me a most simple task. I believe I can, with a little time, using various code packets, supply the probe with the command code to transmit its data. That is why it has returned; with data so important, it can only relay this data to its creator."

"You mean mankind, don't you?" McCoy asked.

"Of course," Decker said with a smile.

"And what happens to our fleets when you do that?" Praefectus'alae Tnofie asked. It was clear she had no respect for Decker.

"I would keep your distance, just to be safe," Decker said. "But I really have no idea what might happen when I relay the code."

"That is not entirely true now, is it mister Decker?" A voice asked from the other side of the briefing room.

Everyone looked to where the question had come. What they saw amazed them all. A human male, very suave looking, in an Armani suit no less, and with a cat perched on his shoulder, stood there for all to see where no one had stood a second before.

Kirk and Spock rose to their feet to confront the stranger.

"And who are you?" Kirk asked.

The man smiled.

"My name is Gary-7," the man said. Kirk was about to interject, when Gary-7 held up a hand. "Please Captain; your questions to me will be answered. However, I am here to tell you that not only is mister Decker not being forthright in what he is here to do," Gary-7 said, "the Romulans are not being forthright as well, are you?" Gary-7, with a warm smile on his face, asked Praefectus'alae Tnofie. "Perhaps you should both tell Captain Kirk and his guests about Dr. Sevrin."

_To be continued…though you may want to read a few issues back about Dr. Sevrin's arrival on Earth..and his interactions with Gary-7's agents….__**  
**_


	54. Light the Fuse

Without many answers to go on, Captain Kirk was running out of ideas as to how to help the fleet, comprised from help from other galactic powers, engage the approaching V'gr anomaly. Then without warning, a strange human holding a cat in his arms appeared out of nowhere inside the briefing room, before the gathered alien commanders of the fleet.

"My name is Gary-7," the man said. Kirk was about to interject, when Gary-7 held up a hand. "Please Captain, your questions to me will be answered. However, I am here to tell you that not only is mister Decker not being forthright in what he is here to do," Gary-7 said, "the Romulans are not being forthright as well, are you?" Gary-7, with a warm smile on his face, asked Praefectus'alae Tnofie. "Perhaps you should both tell Captain Kirk and his guests about Dr. Sevrin."

The statement from Gary-7 brought the room to a dead silence. Kirk, not seeing the intruder as a threat, backed off from attacking him.

"Could you please tell me," Kirk said to Gary-7, "how you were able to gain entry to my ship?"

"Captain Kirk," Gary said. "I have technology at my disposal that allows me to transport in such a way. I wish I could elaborate more, but my employers would not appreciate such openness."

"Exactly which employers are you referring to?" Spock asked.

"That would also violate my standing with them," Gary said. "I will tell all of you this however," Gary said to Kirk and the assembled aliens at the briefing table "They are of no threat to any of you."

"Excuse me," Sarek said as he stood up and faced Gary. "You are human. How can you explain being employed by anyone not of Earth? You are obviously not of Romulas as well. So how is it you are among the stars?"

Gary nodded in agreement.

"I am indeed from Earth, Ambassador Sarek," Gary said. "Ten-thousand Earth years ago, far before the Vulcans began visiting Earth and the eventual departure of the Romans with your kind, I was enlisted by my suitors. I have been working with them since that time."

"Do you expect us to believe," Captain Kirk said with doubt in his voice and a slight chuckle as he observed the cat that Gary now held in his arms, "that you are over ten-thousand years old?"

"I do," Gary said.

Gul Dukat was about to interject when Kirk stopped him.

"We'll delve into your unique pedigree later," Kirk said to Gary, and then Kirk turned to face Will Decker who had remained silent ever since Gary-7's arrival and astonishing statements as well. "What is our new friend referring to Mr. Decker?" Kirk asked, while also shifting his glance towards Praefectus'alae Tnofie, the female Romulan representative. "Who is Dr. Sevrin?

"You will not demand answers from me, Earther," Praefectus'alae Tnofie shot back at Kirk. "My fleet is here to help save your world, so how dare you question our motives?"

Sarek stared over to her as well, and then he looked back to Sevrin.

"Perhaps you should elaborate," Sarek said to Gary-7.

"Oh," Gary said, "I will indeed. Over a hundred Earth-years ago, a Romulan named Sevrin came to Earth, after being exiled from Romulas."

"What?" McCoy asked from where he sat. "He came to Earth? Where is he now?"

"He is no longer alive, having died sixty years ago. However, his legacy, a following based on the archaic beliefs he had been banished from Romulas for even having, exists even now, in the here and now, on Earth, and mister Decker here is the leader of that group now; as ordained by Sevrin a hundred years or so ago."

Decker shook his head in mock anger.

"Do you know how mad you sound?" Decker said. "My great-great grandfather helped design the probe that now threatens us all. That is the only reason I am here now."

Kirk walked over Gary-7.

"I'm afraid," Kirk said to Gary, "that mister Decker is right. Your story is a bit hard to believe."

"Captain Kirk," Gary said with genuine concern. "Two other agents, also employed by my suitors, lost their lives while trying to ascertain Sevrin's reasons for coming to your world. I suggest we ask her if what I say is true," he finished, aiming his words at Praefectus'alae Tnofie.

Sarek, who in the meanwhile had been in contact with one of his aids on the Vulcan ship which was near the Enterprise's position in the fleet via secure com-unit attached to his ear, spoke next.

"According to our historical information," Sarek said to Kirk, "a Romulan by that name, Sevrin, was indeed banished from his world over a hundred Earth years ago, for what seems to be illegal ideology laws on Romulas. I think you should look at this."

Sarek motioned to the viewing screen on the main wall. An image of the deceased cultist leader from Earth who had died sixty-years in Earth's past was being displayed. Then the image of the exiled Romulan was put up on the screen as well, side by side with the other picture. They were obviously the same person.

Kirk looked over to Praefectus'alae Tnofie and then Decker.

"That is more than mere coincidence," McCoy said from his seat, reveling in this ability to state the obvious.

"Yes," Kirk replied softly, "it is." Kirk stared directly at Tnofie.

Tonfie and her male Romulan aide stood up and prepared to leave.

"I will not tolerate this inquisition any longer," Tnofie stated with anger in her voice. "I am officially withdrawing the support of the Romulan Empire in this vain attempt at diplomacy."

"Praefectus'alae Tnofie," Sarek said suddenly. "Did your government know of Sevrin's existence on Earth?"

"I will not reveal any confidential information to an Ambassador of the Federation," Tnofie replied with standoffish words.

Kirk walked over to Tnofie briskly and then stood toe to toe with her.

"I have been about as accommodating as I can tolerate, trust me," Kirk told her. "My world, your former world I might add, is facing possible destruction and you're sitting here acting as if you're offended." Kirk tapped the com-unit, which was positioned within the delta shield badge of his uniform. "Engineering, this is the captain. Raise the shields now."

"Aye sir, shields up," A voice from the com-unit replied.

"What are you doing?" Tnofie demanded.

"You will not be able beam off my ship," Kirk told her with scorn in his eyes, "until you tell me what you know about that thing."

"Who are you to put demands on your guests?" Gul Dukat asked from the chair he sat in next to Kirk.

"I'm a human trying to save his world," Kirk told all of them. "And if that means I have to ruffle the feelings of visitors; then so be it."

"I hate Romulans with every fiber of my blood, huuman," the Klingon commander, Kgr, spat out. "However, taking on an entire alien armada shows us that you have no intelligence or honor!" Kgr yelled as he stood up from where he sat. "You have angered me as well!"

At that moment, emerging from the large anomaly that the alien fleet was approaching, were several bolts of energy; they were spherical in shape.

-

"RED ALERT", a voice yelled through the com-system of the Enterprise. Kirk engaged the main viewer. Sulu's face appeared.

"Bridge, what's going on?" Kirk asked.

The tension in the briefing room for the moment subsided as they all watched the events transpire on the screen.

"Sir," Sulu reported, "several energy pulses have emerged from the cloud."

**"Where are they headed?" Kirk asked.**

Chekov's face came on the screen.

"Sir," she told Kirk. "According to our computations, the energy pulses will hit every ship in the fleet except," Chekov paused, "for the Enterprise."

"Put it on screen," Kirk ordered.

The view on the screen switched from the Enterprise's bridge to an image of space. Several ships from the alien armada, including Klingon, Cardassian, Romulan, and other vessels, could be seen. And then without warning, balls of energy streaked into the fleet, striking every ship in sight. Instantly the stricken ships exploded, causing the Enterprise to take evasive actions.

The evasive actions of the Enterprise were so sudden that even those in the briefing room were thrown to the floor. The image on the screen never faltered, and one by one every ship in the fleet, except for the Enterprise, was destroyed, including the other two Federation starships which had joined the armada as well.

"Sulu," Kirk shouted out as he regained his bearings and stood up, helping Sarek up as he did. "Report!"

"Captain," Sulu replied. "Every other ship has been destroyed! And according to our sensors," Sulu added, "a signal was sent from this ship seconds before the anomaly fired on the fleet."

"A signal," Kirk repeated. "Who sent it?"

"I did," a voice replied from inside the briefing room.

It wasn't Decker's voice, Kirk quickly realized. It was the voice of a woman. Kirk looked over to where the words were spoken, it was Decker's assistant. The rather strikingly beautiful woman named Ilya.

Continued….


	55. Man to Worship

**STAR TREK VOYAGER**

**Man to Worship**

**Fifteen years ago; 2037**

As delicate as an ice-skater's prance across chilled ice, the young girl, just nine years of age, glided her slender fingers across the ivory keys of her piano. With each touch of the keys, Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor began to unfold. Sonata No. 2 had long been considered one of the composer's greatest accomplishments. Noted for its swelling, almost stormy crescendos and its equally seductive valleys of emotion, the piece would often evoke emotions from not only those who were listening to it; but performing it as well.

The young girl, wearing an all-white dress, her piano playing immaculate to the ear, was nearly two-thirds of the way through the piece. The grand-piano she was performing with was situated in the center area of a very regal home. Three visitors were situated to the left of the piano on a soft, very comfortable couch. A man, a woman, and a young boy, of sixteen years old, watched as the young girl played on. And while they listened to the soft sounds of the girl's music, they could also hear the harsh sounds of pain coming from another room nearby. The sounds coming from the other room were the unmistakable sounds of a woman moaning; the moans were of an intimate nature, a sexual nature. And yet, through the sounds of the unseen woman's primal desires, the young girl continued to play on.

The older man on the couch leaned closer to the young boy, so as to whisper.

"This young girl has incredible concentration for her age," the older man said. "Even as her mother and father are in the torrent of passion, she is able to maintain focus on the sheet music before her. These are of the finest qualities of a woman, and cannot be discarded when one is considering taking one for a mate."

The woman, the older man's wife, also leaned into whisper to the young man.

"Listen to your father," she told him. "You are special Willard; that is why you have been given your choice of any young lady in the compound. This young girl, Ilya, is only nine years of age. If you decide to make her your mate, then she will be betrothed to you as of tonight in a most sacred ceremony. From this day forward, she will be groomed for the day when she is to become the vessel of your desires. She will know that the will of a man, his needs, his desires, are far more important than what she wishes. She will place you on a pedestal and worship you as her master; that is her destiny, should you wish it my son."

Willard Decker's eyes became wider with desire. He was sixteen years old, and already the hormones of puberty were flowing through his body. From the earliest days he could remember, he had witnesses his own mother's submission to his father's demands. He had heard her screams of pain in the deep hours of the night. And as he grew older, and met people who did not follow the ways of their spiritual leader, Father Sevrin, Willard could only feel pity for the outsiders.

The moaning in the other room ended as the piano playing came to a soft end. Moments later two people came into the piano room. They were Ilya's mother and father. Her father was wearing a casual shirt and pants, her mother wore a long gown, nearly transparent. The mother also seemed tired, and there were obvious bruises on her neck, arms, and legs, and her left eye was swollen. They came over to the three visitors on the couch.

"Have you reached a decision?" The father asked Willard. "Will you chose my daughter to be your consort through the approaching epoch of our world's salvation?"

Willard Decker watched as both the mother and father of Ilya, with Ilya watching from where she sat at the piano, got down on their knees.

"Please take our daughter as your consort," the mother prayed, her eyes closed. "I will make sure she is prepared for your union upon the day of her ascension."

"And I will make sure, with the back of my hand if need be," the father added, with his eyes closed as well, "that my daughter understands that the will of a man is for her to obey without question or pause; this I swear."

"Yes," Willard Decker finally replied. "I accept your daughter as my consort. I understand that I shall not see her again until her age of ascension. I accept your oaths to train her for her role as my vessel; the woman to whom I will release my desires upon without any need for moderation. She must know that when I use the back of my hand upon her face, it is because I love her and only wish to perfect her."

The man and woman opened their eyes. They stood up and turned to face their daughter. Ilya stood up and walked over to where her parents stood, and the visitors sat on the couch. She walked over to where Willard sat on the couch. Without being told, Ilya got down on her knees, not once breaking eye contact with the man who would one day control her; body and soul.

"I am yours," she said softly. "I shall await our union."

Willard looked up to Ilya's mother for the next part of the brief ceremony.

"And on that day of Ilya's ascension," Ilya's mother said to Willard, "I will play the Sonata as you two become as one. You are our savior; you are our guide."

With the ceremony over, Ilya and her parents joined hands and walked away. Willard Decker kept his eyes trained on young Ilya until she was out of view. He would not see her again until that day; the day she would forever belong to him.

* * *

Some years later, the day arrived. And as Ilya's mother played the Sonata No. 2 on the very same piano that Ilya had years before, the sounds of primal passion could be heard in the next room; Willard Decker and Ilya had become as one. Ilya's servitude had finally become reality.

Continued...


	56. Dominated no More

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Dominated no more**

Previously...

The evasive actions of the Enterprise were so sudden that even those in the briefing room were thrown to the floor. The image on the screen never faltered, and one by one every ship in the fleet, except for the Enterprise, was destroyed, including the other two Federation starships which had joined the armada as well.

"Sulu," Kirk shouted out as he regained his bearings and stood up, helping Sarek up as he did. "Report!"

_"Captain," Sulu replied. "Every other ship has been destroyed! And according to our sensors," Sulu added, "a signal was sent from this ship seconds before the anomaly fired on the fleet."_

"A signal," Kirk repeated. "Who sent it?"

"I did," a voice replied from inside the briefing room.

It wasn't Decker's voice, Kirk quickly realized. It was the voice of a woman. Kirk looked over to where the words were spoken, it was Decker's assistant; the rather strikingly beautiful woman named Ilya.

_our story continues..._

Another ball of energy leaped out from space anomaly.

Sulu, who was at the helm, and calling the shots from the bridge, watched as the ball of energy streaked towards the Enterprise.

"Prepare for impact," Sulu said as both he, and Chekov next to him at navigation, tried their best to position the Enterprise into a more advantageous position. As Sulu maneuvered the ship, he also had to take care to try and avoid the debris from the destroyed fleet.

-  
The ball of energy slammed into the Enterprise's shields. The energy dispersal made it appear as if the Enterprise was inside of a static-shock bubble. As strong as the ship's shields were, they were ultimately no match against the energy dispersed by the space anomaly.

Suddenly, without warning, the energy penetrated the Enterprise's shields. And then, on the bridge of the Enterprise, what appeared to be a column of electricity appeared out of nowhere. It made a loud, continuous crackling sound as it began to traverse the bridge. Sulu, Chekov and the rest of the bridge crew could only watch as the strange aberration made its way across the bridge.

* * *

**Briefing Room...**

Captain Kirk looked over to Ilya and was about to talk to her when a signal came from the bridge. Kirk tapped on the com-unit on the main briefing table.

_"Sir," Sulu's voice said from the com-unit on the table. "Some sort of probe, I guess, has appeared on the bridge. It is a column of pure plasma energy, and seems to be, as of yet, no threat to the crew up here on the bridge. But, it is beginning to access several of the stations here on the bridge. It seems to be acquiring data about Earth and other basic information."_

"You should destroy your ship Kirk!" Gul Dukat, now standing, demanded of Kirk, "That thing has already destroyed the fleet, so don't let it get your data, which no doubt contains strategic information about the rest of our home worlds." Dukat added.

_"Sir, the energy probe just vanished!" Sulu reported._

Instantly, at the far end of the briefing room, the energy column appeared. The cracking noise startled all those in the briefing room. The light from the strange column of energy also drowned out the regular lighting of the room, casting a white neon glow upon everything in the room.

"Could that be one of their crew?" McCoy asked, his voice barely heard over the crackling sound of the energy probe.

"That thing," Dukat yelled, "destroyed my fleet."

Dukat drew out a weapon from his side when, suddenly, a tentacle of energy lashed out. Dukat dove out of the way, but not before the energy destroyed his disruptor.

Ilya, who faced the energy, began to walk towards it. The crackling sound got louder.

"What are you doing Ilya!?" Decker demanded, who was still on the ground from the sudden movements of the ship earlier. "Don't touch it! I am to be its vessel, not you!"

Kirk, who had no idea of what Decker was talking about, tried to move to stop her, but he couldn't. Whatever the strange energy the column was, it was also somehow interfering with anyone's attempt to move.

"I can't move!" Scotty yelled out from where he sat.

"Neither can I," Klingon Commander K'gnur yelled out. "What form of trickery is this Kirk!"

"I don't know!" Kirk answered, raising his voice to be heard. "I can't move either."

"Jim," McCoy offered, yelling above the crackling noise, "I think it's interfering with electrical currents in our own bodies but don't ask me how!"

Kirk scanned the room. The only person who was able to move was indeed Ilya, as she neared the column of energy, and strangely enough, the cat on Gary 7's shoulders was able to move.

"Ilya," Decker yelled, "I am your husband. I demand you do as I order!" He spat out at her.

A fiendish look came over Ilya's eyes as the energy being enveloped her.

"Consider this union," Ilya said, her voice altered strangely by the energy force, "ended!"

Suddenly a streak of energy lashed out from the Ilya/energy entity and struck Decker in the chest, exploding his body into chucks of flesh and bone that splattered blood everywhere. Just then, two security officers rushed into the room, two energy beams lashed out from the entity as well. Just like Decker's before, their bodies exploded. And then, instantly, the energy column was gone; and a cold silence replaced the crackling sound.

"Jesus Christ," McCoy said from where he sat at the horrific scene before them.

Three bodies, Decker's and the two security guards, had been exploded before their very eyes. Blood was everywhere, some of it even on those who had survived. The fleet had been utterly destroyed as well.

"You have doomed us all," Klingon Commander K'gnur said to Kirk. "You should have sacrificed us all. You should have destroyed that demon!"

"No," Kirk said to K'gnur. "All that would have done is killed the rest of us. The anomaly would still be out there, on its way to Earth, and beyond, had I just blown-up the ship. I'm not sure how they do things on your world," Kirk said pointedly to the Klingon," but on my world it is never a good day to die for nothing."

The Klingon was about to respond when the meaning of Kirk's words hit home.

"You are right, huuman," K'gnur said with respect. "No matter; our deaths will come quickly if we do not act. However, your words are the words of a warrior."

K'gnur slapped Kirk on the back out of respect.

"Kirk is a warrior? What are we to do now Klingon?" Praefectus'alae Tnofie asked with snide laughter, her Romulan face betraying her anger. "The Romulan Empire has been insulted, and now I stand here," she said as she motioned to the blood on her uniform, "sprayed with the blood of a cowardly race."

"We reap what we sow," Gary-7 said with no emotion in his voice.

_"Captain," Sulu's voice came from the com-unit again. "According to telemetry, the space anomaly is slowly changing course. Wait a second," Sulu added, "yes, Chekov's computations are correct. The space anomaly is no longer on a direct heading for Earth."_

"Where is it heading now?" Kirk asked.

Chekov's soft voice came next.

_"Sir," she said, "if my computations are correct the space anomaly has changed course. The new course heading would put it on a direct course for the Romulan Empire; or Romulus to be more exact. Time of arrival would be 75.8 hours from now Captain."_

Praefectus'alae Tnofie slammed her fist on the table.

"You must get me to my world," Tnofie demanded of Kirk. "I must be there to defend my people."

"I wonder why it would want to go there," Sarek noted. "The original probe came from Earth, as we all know so why change course for Romulus?"

Suddenly the door to the briefing room opened. Uhura came in holding a strange device.

"Sir," Uhura said to Kirk, "we found this old style communication's platform in the quarters of Mr. Decker. According to our sensors, the space anomaly is exchanging data with the device, even now."

"Fascinating," came from both Spock and Sarek.

"We'll figure it out," Kirk said to them all, "on the way to Romulus. Because despite what you think," Kirk said to Tnofie, "I don't want your world to be destroyed either."

As Kirk gave orders to Chekov and Sulu to change course for Romulus, he was unaware that inside his existence, the remnant of what Gary Mitchell had left inside of Kirk's mind, was driving his decisions now.

What Kirk could not know, as well, was that Spock and Sarek were in telepathic communication with each other.

Spock looked to his father, Sarek, as Uhura handed the strange device to Scotty to analyze.

_~~Sarek; Son, I am sensing awareness from inside of Kirk~~_

~~Spock: I sense it too, father. Do you suspect the Omega Particle as well? ~~

~~ Sarek; Yes I do, my son. The entity with-in Kirk must sense something about the space anomaly. You must observe the Captain and take care that his actions are not being directed by an outside force. I will assist the engineer in unlocking the secrets of the communication device~~

~~Spock; Yes father

Scotty held the device, taking care not to drop it. The interface light was still lit, which meant, most likely, that the device was still in contact with the space anomaly.

"This technology is a wee bit old," Scotty told Kirk. "I canna be sure I will be able to learn anything about it."

"Well; try." Kirk said as he watched the cleanup crews come in and start the long process of cleaning up the exploded remains of the three bodies.

Gary-7, with his cat still in his arms, came over to Kirk.

"What will you do now?" Gary-7 asked. "Two of my agents were killed on Earth over a hundred years due to the actions of the Romulan who came to your world. Decker," Gary-7 said looking over to where Decker's remains were, "was part of this, however, I believe the woman's actions surprised even him. I believe that device your engineer is holding may hold the answers."

"I agree," Sarek said as he joined Kirk and Gary-7. "Kirk; I will assist your engineer if you wish," Sarek said to Kirk. "I have computer skills that I am confident can be put to good use here."

"Then please," Kirk said. "Do what you can."

Sarek nodded, and then headed over to where Scotty was.

Kirk walked over to Spock.

"I want all the information we have about Decker and Ms. Ilya," Kirk said. He then looked over to Praefectus'alae Tnofie, who was standing with her two guards at the other end of the room. "In the meantime, I'm going to have an open and blunt conversation with our Romulan friends. They have nowhere else to go, so either they will listen to me or they will sit in the brig."

"Captain," Spock, "I must point out that with her own world facing destruction, her emotions might eschew any conversation."

"You mean; she might be scared?" Kirk asked.

"I believe I have already answered that inquiry." Spock said, and then turned to leave the briefing room with Gary-7 so as to investigate the available data on Decker and Ilya, as well as Sevrin.

-continued

Next time the exciting conclusion of STAR TREK PHASE TWO "V'GER"

I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR!


	57. The Next Step

**STAR TREK; V'GER**

**The Next Step**

* * *

A clean-up crew began the horrific process of cleaning the remains of Decker and the two security guards. Most of the alien fleet commanders, who had nowhere else to go now that their fleets had been destroyed by V'ger, remained near the briefing room so as to confer with each other.

Captain Kirk made his way through the briefing room over to Praefectus'alae Tnofie. With Earth no longer the destination of the V'ger anomaly, and Romulus now most likely facing destruction, Kirk knew he had to find a way to bridge their differences, but not dance around them either. Tnofie looked over to Kirk as he approached her..

"I do not need your pity," Tnofie said; with coldness in her voice.

"I'm not here to give any," Kirk said, "I wanted to say that my engineer has the Enterprise at its top speed in order to return you to Romulus long before whatever that thing is gets to Romulus. And I have just been informed by my superiors to offer our help, as you did for us, against that thing. However, as I just heard from Sarek, Romulus is refusing any outside help; do you think that is wise?"

"Romulans do not need the assistance outsiders." Tnofie retorted.

"Really…" Kirk replied. "Then I guess coming into our system, without permission, to try to obtain an Omega Particle from one of our planets (Neptune) to use against the Borg, and which could perhaps have been used against this space anomaly as well, isn't getting assistance from outsiders?"

"In case you do not remember; Romulans come from your world," Tnofie explained to Kirk, "we were taken from Earth by the Vulcans. Make no mistake captain; Earth is our world too; someday we will visit the ownership issue of Earth I assure you."

"Is that what this is all about?" Kirk asked pointedly. "You come into our system as you wish, as if we were a colony of yours? Because, if I might point out, it was an exile from Romulus who came to Earth and set events into motion that almost led to the destruction of Earth, and may well lead to the destruction of Romulus. And Earth is to take the blame for this?"

"What Sevrin did over a century ago on Earth was not condoned by my government, in fact we only recently found out about it ourselves." Tnofie fired back.

Kirk continued. "The entity that seems to be at the heart of that cloud would seem to dispute that claim. According to the Vulcans and Gary 7's information about Sevrin's cult, he had been in contact with the entity even as far back as a century ago." Kirk told her. "And nearly fifty years ago, when we lost contact with the probe, the probe sent back a coded signal that implied that its computer system had been breached by an approaching ship. The probe then changed course and was gone. Why do I think that it was a Romulan ship that tampered with the probe fifty years ago?"

"You say the probe changed course? We both know now that the course correction was most likely programmed into the probe by an Earthling…" Tnofie was saying before she was cut off by Kirk.

"…named Morris Decker," Kirk interjected. "Morris Decker was pressured by Sevrin to alter the programming of the Voyager 2 probe. And unknown to Morris Decker, a clone taken from him would be created, that clone is now a pile of blood and bones in the briefing room. That clone became William Decker, who was then indoctrinated into a cult that saw him as their savior; in fact, all of humanities savior; Earth's and Romulus'. It was Sevrin that set this all in motion. So you can stand there in front of me, all you want and blame the destruction that has happened, and is yet to come, on Earth; but it started with the sick beliefs of a Romulan named Sevrin."

Praefectus'alae Tnofie leered at Kirk. And then she chose her words carefully.

"One day to come," she said with a sneer in her days, "Very soon I believe, we will come home to Earth. And when that day comes, Kirk, I will be sure to find you."

"I will be waiting," Kirk said.

Tnofie smiled, and then walked away. Spock, who had returned to speak with Kirk, and had been standing on the other side of the room, came over to where Kirk was.

"Her words are interesting," Spock said to Kirk, "though, I would not put much credence in them."

"How could you hear us?" Kirk asked, "It was amazing since we both kept our voices down."

Kirk and Spock made their way down the corridor, heading toward one of the Turbo-lifts.

"Captain; Vulcans have a well-honed since of hearing," Spock said in a tone Kirk thought was humorous, if ever so slightly.

"Well, my Vulcan first officer, is there any progress on the device that is communicating with V'ger?" Kirk asked.

"None as of yet, sir" Spock replied. "Captain Kirk, I now believe the entity inside the anomaly is at the heart of the problem. It no doubt made contact, somehow, a hundred years ago with Sevrin in the past. Sevrin was able, through Morris Decker, to get the probe to the entity. I am quite sure the entity convinced Sevrin to do this by preying on his illogical beliefs."

They entered a Turbo-lift, and headed for the bridge.

"So," Kirk said in agreement, "the entity fed Sevrin with what Sevrin wanted to hear, allowing this deranged Romulan to create and entire belief system around his insane beliefs. But what the entity really wanted was the probe. Perhaps the probe was a mode of escape from where ever the entity was from when it made contact with Sevrin."

"A distinct possibility," Spock said. "Captain, I have discussed with my father a possible course of action. Thanks to my father's mind-meld with you back on Vulcan, you are aware of the unique communication that can happen with such a joining."

"Yes I do," Kirk said.

Seconds later, Kirk and Spock walked off of the Turbo-lift. The main bridge crew was all at their posts. The view screen showed the large debris cloud that had once been the combined fleet that had been sent to deal with the anomaly, but was ultimately destroyed by it.

Kirk sat at his command chair with Spock by his side.

"I think I know what you're trying to ask me," Kirk said to Spock. "You want to join with whatever the anomaly is, in the same way your father joined with me."

"Affirmative," Spock replied. "My own unique being, part sentient being, part artificial being, could allow me to meld with the anomaly and stop it from its current course of action; the destruction of Romulus."

"And how exactly do you expect to get into the heart of that cloud without being killed yourself?" Kirk asked.

"A space walk," Spock replied. "I believe I could approach the cloud, via the shuttle, and then initiate the meld with the help of the device we found in Decker's quarters. I would communicate my desire to meld with it. The anomaly would not see a lone man as a threat, and would assuredly let me, while in a space suit, enter its defense parameter, the cloud, and thus continue our meld in a more direct manner."

"Captain!" Sulu said suddenly from his post. "Look," he pointed at the screen.

One of the Enterprise's shuttles could be seen streaking out ahead of the Enterprise.

"Mister Sulu; who the hell is in that shuttle and why!?" Kirk demanded.

Spock already knew the answer.

"Father…" Spock whispered softly.

**Next time…DANGER and DEATH!**


	58. Family Matters

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Family Matters.**

* * *

Sarek piloted the shuttle on a course provided to him by the consciousness that was inside the Vgr cloud, which had now merged with Ilya. Sarek, as well as his Spock, had both sensed the presence of a unique consciousness when the anomaly first attacked the Federation fleet. They had also detected a slight variance in the thought patterns now emanating from the anomaly. Was Ilya affecting Vgr in some as of yet unknown way?

Meanwhile, the device, an old piece of equipment from the NASA days of Earth's space program, and now in Sarek's possession as well, was still in contact with Vgr. The nature of that communication was still not known to Sarek or Spock. And now, due to Decker's death, at the hands of Ilya, it would now be impossible to know what the device was programmed to do by Morris over a hundred years prior.

As Sarek piloted the shuttle, a signal came in from the Enterprise. The faces of Kirk and Spock appeared on the screen. They were standing behind Lt. Uhura, who was working the controls.

_"Ambassador," Kirk said softly, "I must request that you return to the ship immediately. Not only have you stolen Earth property," Kirk said, "you have also damaged it as well." Kirk held up seven self-sealing stembolts._

It was clear that Kirk was not upset, and in fact, humor was in Kirk's eyes. It was probably, Sarek thought, something Kirk would have done had the roles been reversed. Kirk was no doubt following set protocols for stolen Earth equipment; he was just going through the motions. Why was Kirk warning Sarek?

Moments after Sarek had left the Enterprise with the shuttle, the Enterprise came out of warp. A quick search by Scotty found the bolts, part of the new Vulcan supplied Warp Core, had been tampered with. It was clear now that it was Sarek who had done the tampering. The repair would only take two hours, but would provide Sarek with enough time to catch up to the anomaly before the Enterprise to retrieve him.

Sarek, seeing the bolts in Kirk's hands, nodded.

"I trust your engineer can make the repairs," Sarek said.

_"Yes, or course he can, your engineer's trained him." Kirk said with a slight smile, "but the damage has been done. And that's not to mention what's going to happen when Praefectus'alae Tnofie finds out that her trip back to Romulus has been delayed."_

"I have confidence in your diplomatic skills, Kirk." Sarek said in his own wry way.

"_Father," Spock interjected, "You and I both decided that it would be best for me to make contact with the entity in the cloud due to my own unique being. We came to that decision in a logical manner. You actions, now, make me wonder if that conversation we had earlier was a ruse on your part."_

"The use of the world ruse offends me my son." Sarek said, and again, Kirk thought, he sensed a teasing nature in Sarek's tone.

"No, my son, it was not a ruse," Sarek continued, "It was," Sarek paused, searching for the best word to use, "it was, as the humans would put it, a delay tactic. I was not going to allow my youngest son to risk his life on such an endeavor. My ability in the use of the Vulcan mind-meld is beyond yours, so it is I who should make contact. And I must also add that the remnant that Kirk left in my mind should also prove somewhat useful in this endeavor as well."

_"What is he talking about?" Kirk asked Spock._

_"When my father melded with your mind back on Vulcan, and was inside your mind" Spock explained, "he encountered what we refer to as a remnant. A piece, if you will, of what Gary Mitchell had become. Think back to when Mitchell forced his way inside of your mind, right before I tried to stop him, he left the remnant of his being. That remnant became part of what makes you who you are. The remnant is, we believe, the same Omega Particle that the Romulans had hoped to obtain from the atmosphere of Neptune. How it became part of Gary Mitchell, we do not know."_

Uhura, who was still at her post configuring the transmission with Sarek, upon hearing the strange conversation between the two Vulcans and the captain, had to force herself not to interject a 'are you guys all nuts or what' response to what was being said.

Sarek closed his eyes, and then opened them.

"Vgr," Sarek said to Kirk and Spock, "or what it became after it fused with the Ilya woman, is probing my thoughts. I'm afraid this conversation will have to end for now." He raised his hand and made the Vulcan hand salute. "Live long and prosper."

The screen went blank

* * *

**USS ENTERPRISE**

"He'll be okay," Kirk said to Spock. "Your father is quite resourceful," Kirk said, as he looked down at the bolts in his hand

"Captain," Uhura said, as she switched the channel and then heard a loud voice in her ear piece, "Praefectus'alae Tnofie is requesting to speak with you."

"Well, I guess it is time to go use those diplomacy skills your father thinks I have," Kirk said as he headed towards the Turbo-lift. "Let me know when the engines are back on line."

"Yes sir," Spock replied, as he watched Kirk enter the turbo-lift

* * *

Lt. Hikaru Sulu, having been given a ninety-minute relief cycle due to the repairs to the warp engines, headed down to his quarters upon being told by Uhura that a private message, for him, had been received.

Sulu entered his quarters. Several katana were aligned on the walls of his quarters, as were other Japanese-oriental collectables. He hadn't really wanted to decorate his room in such a manner, trying to avoid the stereo-typical decorative mantra of Japanese officers, but his mom made him swear that he would; so he did. But also among the traditional Japanese candles, and other nit-knacks, were Godzilla, Transformers and other action figures and toys. They were much apart of who he was as well as the traditional stuff.

He dove on to his bed and activated the interface of his com-unit. Every crew member had one. The face of his mother came on the screen. The message had been recorded nearly a day ago.

"Hikaru," his mother began to say, "Your father's health has taken a turn for the worse. It is believed that he will not live out the month. Your older brother, Tatsuya, is already here, fulfilling his role as the next in line to lead our family. That being said, I would still like you to come home and make peace with your brother while your father is still alive."

The screen when dark as the message came to an end. Sulu reached up to the shelf above his bed and snatched up the Rodan action figure which stood next to the monitor, and stretched out on his bed, looking up at the ceiling.

Sulu had always had a good relationship with his father, even after it was revealed that Sulu was gay. In some segments of Japanese society, sexual preference was still rooted in old customs, and homosexuality was not accepted. But while Sulu's father, and mother to some degree, had learned to accept their son as he was, Sulu's older brother, Tatsuya, had not. He accused young Sulu of bringing shame onto their family.

In fact, Tatsuya's harsh words been the straw that broke the camel's back, and been the chief inspiration for Sulu to run away from his family to join Starfleet. He ended up being quite successful, and had become a national icon in the ensuing years. But the long division between his brother and himself was coming back to life.

Sulu would have to make an effort to see his father before it was too late; having now been ordered to do so by his mother. But it was the reunion with his brother, Tatsuya that worried Sulu. Without warning, and in a fit of anger, Sulu sat up and threw the Rodan piece as hard as he could against the wall near the door, shattering in. Just as he did, a signal came from the door. Sulu regained his composure.

"Come," Sulu called out to the door.

The door to his quarters opened and Captain Kirk was there.

"I was just walking by," Captain Kirk said, "and thought I'd suggest we get something to eat before we go back on duty." Kirk looked down at the shattered pieces of the Rodan action figure on the wall. "Then I heard a smashing sound. Well, it looks like I know what caused it. Are you okay?"

"Sir; do you have an older brother?" Sulu asked.

Kirk looked at the smashed toy again and chuckled.

"Oh yes I do," Kirk said with a smile as he came into Sulu's quarters to afford him privacy. "And unfortunately, in my case, it was baseballs I threw at the walls of my room. My father tanned my behind on more than one occasion because my fits of anger caused by my brother. Believe me; you're not the only one to be tormented by an older brother."

"But I'm a grown man now," Sulu said, in a shamed tone. "I should be able to control my anger."

Kirk reached down and picked up the head of the broken toy.

"I recognized this," Kirk said, "isn't this Gyaos?"

"Rodan," Sulu corrected his Captain. "I threw it at the door just before you came in. It won't happen again sir."

Kirk looked at Sulu's walls. He whistled upon seeing the katana.

"That's a pretty good collection," Kirk said. "I remember that day when Scotty beat you in front of the entire gym."

"Don't remind me," Sulu said with a smile. "We are due for a rematch. Next time he will not be so lucky."

"Well," Kirk said to Sulu, "I had some fencing classes years ago. I think I did pretty good, so, how about the next time you get angered by your brother, you come see me and we," Kirk said as he motioned over to the other collectable action figures, "save the toy, and the walls."

Sulu smiled.

"Yes sir," Sulu said. "Is your offer for dinner still standing?"

"We better get started," Kirk said as he took a step towards the door, opening it. "Guinan won't hold my table too much longer."

Sulu joined Kirk and they headed toward 10-Forward for some much needed food before what was sure to be a very eventful next few hours as the Enterprise headed for Romulus and the showdown with Vgr.

-continued-


	59. Remnant

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**The Remnant**

...The room was dark, and it was cold. There was only one source of light, and it came from a dim light bulb that was positioned above a small table that two people sat at. In the center of the table was a chessboard. It wasn't three-dimensional chess, which one of the players, Sarek, had been a Master at for many decades. The game board was that of the flat two-dimensional chess game that all Vulcan children mastered by the age of five.

Sarek, contemplating his next move, and then he slid one of his pawns up one square. The game was in its seventh turn, and Sarek had already deduced which four pieces, two from each side, would survive to the end game. He looked up at his opponent, a human female named Ilya.

"You are quite a good player, Ilya." Sarek told the young woman.

"When I was just a child, training to be betrothed, my father would play this game with me. It was a time before I truly knew what my life would be like," the young woman replied.

"And what kind of life did you live?" Sarek asked.

She moved one of her chess pieces. Sarek arched an eyebrow. He had purposely let a path of events open that, had she been a master at the game, she could have taken control of it. Yet her move, which was measured in her eyes, put the game back towards a stalemate. She didn't want to win, Sarek reasoned. She just wanted the game to go on. This was fine with Sarek. Their game in abstract was, hopefully, playing out in reality as well.

The chess game that both he and Ilya were playing was being played in an abstract world created by an area of Sarek's mind, and Ilya's as well. And although Ilya was with Sarek in the strange dark world with Sarek, the V'ger entity, which was out there, in reality; and drawing ever so closer to Romulus.

What ever Ilya had become had allowed the shuttle Sarek had taken from the Enterprise to enter the space anomaly which was a massive plasma cloud the size of a solar system, and eventually, he landed it on a most interesting surface. Steps upon steps appeared, creating a path, once he had come out of the shuttle.

He traversed the steps, not having to be told to do so. And as he did, he took in the surroundings which wa cluttered with pure energy pulsing high above him, and with the pulses came strange sounds, to alien to describe.

"What is this place?" Sarek asked the stormy sky.

The sky answered by sending a small creature, which looked like a bird, and it was no larger than Sarek's hand. The strange bird had four fingers sticking out of its neck where its head would be; the fingers had mouths that spoke to him with wisps of smoke and flame. The fingers, strangely enough, spread out in the customary Vulcan hand salute.

"This is what I am," the fingers on the left side of the V formation said.

"This is what we are," the fingers on the right side said.

"Fascinating," Sarek said, "And how did you come to be?"

There had been silence...

"We do not know," the fingers on the right said. "This existence, this way you see us, is no more different than the flame you may encounter were you to dream of us."

"I'm sorry," Sarek said after trying to contemplating what was just said. "Your words are not coming together in away I can understand. Perhaps I should try a more direct approach," Sarek told the flying bird with fingers. "Why do you approach the solar system ahead?"

"Our being," the fingers on the right said, "Our essence of living, was ignited by simple thoughts. It called to us, it gave us insight. Our life was new, so we knew not how to flyt. So we waited for the thoughts to become more tangible, and we sent for excursion."

And then, instantly, Sarek's mind became filled with pain. And then he found himself in the cold and dark room, sitting across from Ilya, with the chess set between them.

"The life I lived," Ilya said as Sarek made his next move, "was much more real. I was born to be nothing more than a depository for evil."

"Was this evil the man known as Decker?" Sarek asked.

"All men are evil," Ilya said as she looked at Sarek, "Even you are evil." She added softly.

"No," Sarek said, "You can not possibly believe that to be true."

She smiled, "I do believe it to be true. Can you not see, Sarek, that I am a God? I know the universe. What you call a Remnant, I call absolute knowledge. Men, on Romulus on Earth, or even Vulcan; there is no difference, are evil. Whether it is Sevrin or it is Decker, or Kirk or you, the subversion of women, the givers of life in this realm of limited being, can not be denied... even now."

Sarek had to tread carefully. Sarek was, more and more it was becoming apparent, dealing with a very power being who had infinite powers. And, the talking bird earlier, gave credence to Sarek's belief that the Remnant, the ultimate power that was behind everything, and had merged with Ilya, was nothing more than a child. And quite often, a child's perception of reality was molded by its own experiences, and therefore was incapable of realizing that those experiences were not inclusive of all reality. The chess game, which was purposely being dragged on by Ilya, proved to Sarek that the entity wanted more knowledge, perhaps beginning to realize a limit to its knowledge had been reached, but would not outright ask for it.

"It is true," Sarek said as Ilya took her turn, "that humanity, in its actions concerning equality, hasn't always been," Sarek paused for a moment, "equal. The life that your father forced you to live was wrong. And if you search your mind, Ilya's mind, you know that those beliefs were germane only to a cultish view, brought to Earth from beyond, and then allowed to fester for all those years. However, those beliefs of Sevrin's, and then later Decker, did not represent the totality of humanity, on Earth, or Romulus."

"You think of me as a child," Ilya said to Sarek.

"Not in all aspects," Sarek said, "However, the entity that you merged with, the Remnant, has only its brief existence to call upon. This massive anomaly, which houses the Remnant, was constructed to absorb knowledge; however it's quite clear that the assimilation of that knowledge is not instant. In time, these things we are speaking of will indeed come to be known, and then a more measured understanding of reality can be attained. There must be away to quicken, through you Ilya, the Remnant's ascension."

"Perhaps," Ilya said to Sarek, "there is a way."

Instantly wind started to blow through the dimly lit room. The reality was shifting, and then Sarek felt his mind opening.

Ilya looked at Sarek. She peered into his existence. As she pulled back the layers of Sarek's life, she came upon the most amazing aspect of his life, an area quite specific to her own true existence. Sarek, trying to maintain focus, and fighting off the wind as he did, reached down to make another move on the chess board, but as he did, his hands began to change. His fingers were no longer the long and boney fingers of a Vulcan, but had now become the hands of a human. Ilya looked up from the new hands that had replaced Sarek's and found that Sarek was no longer sitting across from her at the table; a human was.

"Who are you?" Ilya asked.

"My name," the man said with a smile, "is Gary Mitchell."

Continued...next season.


	60. Cat's Eye

**STAR TREK: V'ger**

**Cat's Eye**

The Starship Enterprise had over-taken the V'ger anomaly and entered Romulan space. The V'ger cloud was expected to reach the Romulan star system with-in forty-eight hours. As the Enterprise came out of orbit, several Romulan Warbirds escorted the Federation ship to the home-world of the Romulan civilization; a world called Romulus.

Captain Kirk sat in his command chair on the bridge of the Enterprise. To his left stood Mr. Spock, to his right stood the female Romulan Commander; Praefectus'alae Tnofie. As the Enterprise followed its armada-escort, Kirk couldn't help but notice the large amount of Romulan ships that were passed along the way.

"I am impressed," Kirk said to Tnofie. "The technological advancements of the Romulan Star Empire cannot be denied."

"My people," Tnofie said to Kirk, "left Vulcan with nothing more than an inspiration to be more than what we were; refugees from Earth. We have built all of this in a very short matter of time," Tnofie said. Her voice was full of pride, which Kirk could understand.

"Captain," Spock said to Kirk, "the outer beacon markers of the Romulan system are picking up the early stages of the V'ger anomaly. Our new estimates put the anomaly here with in the next sixteen hours, maybe less."

Kirk was relieved that Spock was still acting in his usual professional Vulcan manner, but Kirk also had to wonder how the disappearance of Sarek was affecting him as well. But, respecting Spock's privacy, Kirk decided to speak about the matter with Spock at a later time.

"Captain," Uhura said from her station, "The Romulan planetary network is demanding access to our helm so as to restrict our movements while in their territory."

Kirk looked to Tnofie.

"Is that really necessary?" Kirk asked her.

"Yes it is Captain," Tnofie replied. "Your people may be very trusting of others; we are not. We have learned the hard way; that trust in others is a fool's errand. It is standard protocol for visitors to our territory to allow us to take control of their ship's helm. I would suggest you accept this demand. If more than one minute of your time goes by without acceptance, the Romulan defense structure will destroy you without even giving it a second thought."

Kirk looked to Spock.

"For the time being," Spock said, "it would be logical to give them access to our helm."

Kirk looked over to Sulu who was already looking back at Kirk with a look of suspicion.

"Alright, helmsman," Kirk said to Sulu with a weary look as well, "Go ahead and release the lockout procedures and allow the Romulans to take control of the Enterprise."

Sulu was obviously worried, as was Chekov, Kirk could see, but for now they had no choice but to follow the Romulan demands. Sulu whirled around and moments later the lighting on the bridge became a light neon-blue in nature as the Enterprise came under the control of the Romulans.

"Well," Chekov said from her post, "I guess we can just sit back and enjoy the ride."

"Interesting way to put it," Scotty said from his engineering post on the bridge. "I just'a hope the Romulans know we are here ta help."

Tnofie looked to Scott.

"If we felt otherwise, then trust me," she said with a sneer on her face, "your ship's destruction would have already happened."

Spock arched an eyebrow at the thought.

-  
Gary -7 sat inside his quarters aboard the Enterprise. Gary had been abducted from Earth thousands of years earlier, and had been trained by those who had employed him. He had purposely left Kirk and the others in the dark about the true nature of his being. As he stretched out on the bed, which he found very comfortable, he petted his cat, Isis, who was stretched out across his chest. Then there came a beeping sound from the pocket on his shirt. He reached in and took out a cylinder shaped objected and then made a few adjustments on it. Isis had repositioned herself on the bed as well.

_"State your progress." A female voice said from the device._

"It's pretty much playing out as we suspected," Gary reported. "The entity inside the anomaly took the human form of the woman, Ilya, and killed Decker. The anomaly no longer threatens Earth, but it now threatens Romulus."

_"Ironic how the descendants of a human colony established on Vulcan, but who then later struck-out on their own to found the Romulan Star Empire, are now threatened."_

"Not surprising though," Gary replied. "It was one of the Romulans who made contact with the entity now inside of anomaly and began this entire ordeal. Is there any more information about the origin of the entity which now possesses Ilya's body?"

_"Our earlier conclusions still stand," the female voice said. "We determine it to be one of the Omega particles that the Romulans have been searching for in their quest to find a weapon to stop the Borg, should they ever return."_

"What about their efforts on the Earth system world called Neptune?" Gary asked.

_"We do not exactly know," the voice said. "We dispatched an agent to gather more information on Earth. The Romulan ship was destroyed, that much we are certain, by the deliberate acts of the particle they found on Neptune. After that, the information becomes sketchy at best. According to our agent on Earth, Captain Kirk's log, aspects of it which were recorded on their recent voyage to Vulcan, may contain top secret information that he has not been debriefed on yet by his superiors."_

Gary nodded his head.

"Perhaps I should try to gain access to Kirk's log," Gary suggested.

_"We agree," the female responded. "Try to gain access to Kirk's log; Gary-7," she added, "However, do take care. According to the Astheracts, there are time-streams already spreading out from Romulus which point to some event in the short-term. The Continuum will not divulge any other information, not wanting to tamper as they did the last time. But the data the Astheracts are gathering cannot be denied; something is about to happen, and you are going to be right in the middle of it; agent Gary-7."_

With that, the communication ended. Gary-7 had one purpose now. He had to find out about the information that might be contained in Kirk's log. Or, Gary-7 thought, he could do the simple thing and simply ask Kirk. For some reason, Gary felt as though Kirk could be one who could be trusted with matters were outside the normal flow of events. It was something only Gary-7 could decide.

Without a wasting a beat, Gary left his quarters in route to the bridge. He had decided in that instant that Kirk had to be trusted. Gary-7 entered the turbo-lift, and smiled as he watched Isis, his cat, enter the turbo-lift as well. He held out his arms and the cat jumped up into his arms. Then, in the last second of his life, Gary-7 knew that the cat in his arms was also his murderer.

Seconds later Uhura screamed as the Turbo-lift opened and Gary-7's body fell out on to the deck of the Enterprise Bridge!

Continued!

Coming soon...  
They're out there...they are a threat...and they are coming...THE BORG


	61. Thy God Man!

**STAR TREK: V'GER**

**Thy God Man**

* * *

**The USS ENTERPRISE was at red alert, as it orbited Romulas**. The Federation ship had not been allowed to join the Romulan fleet that had been amassed to confront the V'ger anomaly. Even as they faced the ultimate threat, the Romulan pride would not allow outside help to deal with the V'ger threat. With the uncertainty of Gary-7's death, and his body moved down to sickbay for analysis, Kirk had to remain on the bridge.

For now all Jim Kirk could do was get tactical reports from Sulu; which just wasn't the same as being part a battle that might determine the fate of an entire civilization. Kirk did not like being on the sidelines, it was in his nature to be where the action was.

Even though it was quite clear that the Romulans had designs on Earth, it didn't matter to James T Kirk. Not at this time. Maybe it was because the Romulans were, in all actuality, descendants of Earth, and Kirk, as well as the rest of his crew, felt a connection to the Romulans.

Spock's mother was also a Romulan. This made Spock half human, and in some respects, they, Kirk and Spock, had much in common with the Romulans. As Kirk was in deep thought, one of the ship's operations techs handed Kirk a clipboard of issues to sign. Kirk signed them and then stood up to stretch. He walked over to Uhura's station.

"Where is Spock?" Kirk asked her.

"He is down in sickbay," Uhura replied. "Dr. McCoy called earlier and asked him to come down there for some reason."

Kirk rubbed his eyes. The waiting was starting to get to him. Sulu turned back to face him from Helm.

"Sir, the Romulan fleet is reporting that they have engaged the anomaly," Sulu reported. Sulu looked at his tactical board, then back to Kirk. "Sir, they are putting a good spin on it, but it isn't going well."

"Captain," Uhura said, "we are getting a signal from Romulan control. They have released their control of our ship and have granted us permission to leave their system."

That was not a good sign.

"GARY!" came from the high pitched voice of Lt. Nadya Chekov.

Kirk whirled around to see Gary Mitchell standing on the Bridge of the USS ENTERPRISE. For a brief moment Kirk felt happy to see his friend again, but only for a moment. Chekov stood up to face Gary as well.

"Hello Jim," Gary said, "hello Nadya," Gary said as he reached out and stroked her chin with his fingers.

"Gary," Kirk said, "What are you doing here?" He asked as he walked over to where Gary stood; next to Chekov.

"It's complicated," Gary said as he stood and looked around the Bridge. A look melancholy came over Gary Mitchell's face. "I really do miss this place Jim. I was the most happiest in my life, being here with you."

"Gary," Kirk said to his old friend, "the Romulan's face extinction at the hands of the anomaly that is approaching this system. Can you help?"

Gary walked past Kirk and over to where Gary-7's body had fallen out of the Turbolift and had subsequently been removed.

"That guy was weird," Gary said, looking down and the empty ground. Who was he?"

Kirk came over to Gary

"His name was," Kirk began to say, "Gary-7."

"No shit; another Gary. Human, or snail, it is a great name." Gary Mitchell said with a smile.

At that moment the turbo-lift opened and McCoy and Spock entered the Bridge. Gary and Kirk stood up to face them.

"Ahhhh," Gary Mitchell said to Spock, "good to see you again Spock. I should kill you for interfering with me last time."

"As I recall," Spock said, "I did so to save the Captain's life."

Before Gary could respond, Kirk cut in and aimed his words at McCoy.

"What's going on?" Kirk asked McCoy.

McCoy was now leaning down and observing the dead cat, which had yet to be removed, but was covered by a blanket, and then looked up to Spock who stood above him. Then he looked over to Kirk.

"What's going?" Kirk asked again.

"You'll find this very interesting, Jim," Gary Mitchell said, as if he already knew what Spock was about to say.

"About an hour ago," McCoy told Kirk, "I started to pick up a strange signal on one of the low end Tricorders I had been calibrating. I called Spock down to sickbay to investigate where the signal was coming from."

"This is the best part," Gary added.

"What did you find?" Kirk asked.

"A carrier wave with most interesting dynamics," Spock said. "We were on our way to inform you that the signal had been coming from Mr. Seven's quarters, before we lost contact with it."

"And," McCoy said as he snipped off the cat's collar and handed it to Kirk as he stood up, "here it is Spock. The signal is coming from this. It is still activated."

"So?" Kirk asked as he looked at the collar.

"At first," Spock continued, "I assumed it was a signal to perhaps those whom Mister Seven was employed. Upon further investigation I came to the conclusion that it was not a communication device signal at all."

"Spock," Kirk said in a slightly agitated tone, "what is the signal?"

"Captain," Spock said, "I believe it's a homing beacon."

"You say it is a homing signal for the V'ger anomaly to zero in on and find Romulus?" Kirk asked. "Spock, that is a bit hard to believe since V'ger has already engaged the Romulan fleet and is on a B-line for their home world."

"Jim," Gary said, cutting in, "We need to talk."

"Why is he here?" McCoy asked Kirk, in reference to Gary Mitchell.

"Good to see you to Bones," Gary said, "Please don't talk as if I am not here. It's still me! I' m still Gary Mitchell!"

As Kirk and Mitchell continued their conversation, Spock and McCoy scanned the collar and the cat for more clues. McCoy also went over his scans of Gary-7's body to scan it as well.

"Alright," Kirk said turning to face Gary Mitchell, "Why are you here. The last time I saw you, on the way to Vulcan, you told me that you were evolving into a higher purpose. So?" Kirk said, "Did you graduate from the God academy already? Are you here to pass around a collection's plate?"

"You're good," Gary, with a smile, said to Kirk. "It's actually not a God academy; it's called the Continuum. And to answer your question, yes I graduated. You can actually call me," Gary said as he paused, "Q."

"Okay, Q" Kirk said, "then why don't you snap your fingers, do a potion, sacrifice a chicken or whatever, and stop that anomaly from destroying Romulus?"

"Well," Gary said, "I can't. The entity inside the V'ger anomaly is also one of us, or actually will be. I was never that good at Quantum mechanics. Anyway, someday, it will be like I am; special. For now it is…"

"A Remnant?" Spock asked as he continued to scan the collar.

"Your father calls us that as well," Mitchell said to Spock. "However, Vulcan, you and your father are wrong."

"Spock? Wrong? Really;" McCoy added in a sardonic tone. "This day could go down in history."

"Gary," Kirk said as he looked over to Sulu, who was looking at him, and saw the helmsman shake his head, "we don't have time for this. Why are you here if not to help?"

"Why am I here Jim? I may not be able to save Romulus, but I am here to save you and the Enterprise," Gary said, "And, to become even more powerful than I am. I may not be allowed to destroy my little cousin over there in that cloud, but there's nothing saying I can't also make it a part of me. So this little transaction will not only benefit you, but me as well. In that case; I am not just your average Deus Ex Machina."

"Gary, what the hell are you talking about?" Kirk asked. "You're not making any since."

"CAPTAIN!" Sulu said suddenly.

Instantly, and without thinking, Gary snapped his fingers. Just as he did, a massive wave of energy rushed passed the Enterprise and obliterated the Romulan home-world. Romulus was gone!

And so was the Enterprise…


	62. The Voyage Home

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

**The Voyage Home**

* * *

The main briefing room on the Starship Enterprise was packed with excited senior officers and department heads. It had been almost seven hours since the ship had been thrown into the far reaches of the Delta-Quadrant of the Milky Way Galaxy by the mere flick of Gary Mitchell's fingers. Finally the doors to the briefing room opened and Captain Kirk, with Mr. Spock by his side, entered.

The murmuring sound of several conversations began to ebb as Kirk took his seat at the head of the table. Spock, Scotty, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura and other senior officers sat at the center table, with several of the department heads sitting at the seats that were positioned in peripheral positions. Several others stood where there was room so as to hear the briefing.

The crew, all of whom were professionals, all looked to Kirk. The Captain had proven many times in the past couple years that he could inspire the best from everyone just by his strong will and his calm confidence.

"Alright," Kirk finally said, "here is where we are at the moment. We are indeed on the far side of the galaxy from where Earth is. In case you're wonder, and if we could maintain full warp, it would take us nearly eighty years to return home."

There was a slight murmuring of chatter from the gathered crew. Kirk could make out a few officers worrying about never seeing their children or wives ever again. It was a distressing thought, Kirk agreed, but it couldn't be allowed to grow beyond that.

"Listen, all of you," Kirk said. "We were brought here in a matter of seconds by Gary Mitchell, who has admittedly disappeared. However, there is no reason to believe he might not return to us, and, send us home. That being said," Kirk continued, "we have to allow for the fact he may never return, and we will have to find our own way home. We can do this, and that isn't just simple hope." Kirk looked to Spock.

"My people," Spock began to tell them all "Have sent probes to this side of the galaxy for the past fifty years. The data from those probes was downloaded into the Enterprise's mainframe upon our last visit to Vulcan. Several interesting anomalies have been detected by those probes, and a few of them will be in the general area of our coordinates back to Earth."

"Mr. Spock, what kind of anomalies?" Sulu asked. "Are you talking V'GR kind of anomalies?"

Spock looked to Sulu.

"I cannot be certain," Spock said, "however, there are indications of possible wormholes and other possible extraordinary events. While I do not lend myself to fate, or chance, I do however find our arrival and possible encounters as more than just random events."

"And it must be pointed out," Kirk added, "that we are also a vessel tasked with exploring the strange new worlds we might encounter on our way back. So, with that in mind, we will do both; return and explore."

"What about food and water?" McCoy asked. "I can supplement our diets with vitamins, but if I recall, we are only stocked with enough food to last a crew of our size for no more than a month, maybe two."

"What'a bout repairs?" Scotty asked Kirk. Scotty went on, "As far as I can tell, we sustained very little damage during the trip here'a. But even with the Vulcan upgrades we now have, there be no way we can go that long without new crystals and anti-matter infusions."

"I believe," Kirk told them all, "we will encounter intelligent species on this side of the galaxy. Hopefully these new species will be able to help us obtain new resources on our way home. People; this isn't going be easy. We are, for all intents and purposes, lost on the other side of the galaxy. But I will not let this turn of events break my spirit, so I won't let it break yours either. Department heads; keep your people busy, as best you can. But allow them time off as well to deal with the stress of being away from their loved ones."

"Captain," Chekov asked from where she sat at the far end of the table. "Do you believe Starfleet will be looking for us?"

"I'm sure of it," Kirk told her. "Uhura and Spock are looking at experimental ways to send a signal home, so as to let them know we are still alive, but far from home."

"Alive?" McCoy asked. "Jim, what do you mean by that?"

Kirk looked to his good friend, Leonard McCoy.

"Gary threw us across the galaxy," Kirk told McCoy and the others, "just as the V'GER wave hit Romulus. If the planet was destroyed, and we were last known to be in orbit of Romulus, then it's very likely we might have been considered destroyed as well."

"Then it's possible," McCoy said, "Earth might not even know we're here, and believe that we're all dead." McCoy said. "I wonder if my wife will still get her spousal support check."

There was a slight laugh in the room, for it was common knowledge that McCoy had been divorced. It was clear he had said the joke to lighten spirits, and Kirk appreciated the gesture.

"Sir," Uhura said to Spock, "isn't this the area of space where the Borg are from?"

The room became absolutely silent. They had all heard rumors about the mysterious race known as the Borg. How, periodically over the centuries, the Borg would invade Earth's side of the Galaxy, and cause havoc.

"It is true," Spock told them all, "that it is believed that the Borg come from this side of the Galaxy. Then again, the vastness of space precludes any forgone conclusion we will ever know this to be true."

The briefing went on with each department head updating Kirk on their various statuses. All in all, the ship was in good spirits as it prepared to embark on the 80 year voyage home. As the briefing ended, Kirk headed back to his quarters.

The Enterprise continued its flight home only at sublight speed. Scotty had wanted a couple days of repairs before pressing the engines. And as the Enterprise, surrounded in a sea of darkness and space, crawled through space, another vessel was observing; watching; waiting to make its move against the strange looking vessel from the Alpha Quadrant. The alien ship was cube shaped…

* * *

**EARTH**  
**STARFLEET COMMAND**  
**Located on Archer Island; Artificial Island** **Construct**  
**Off the coast of Daytona Beach, Florida**

Colonel Christopher Pike stood on the balcony of his office, holding a martini, and looked out at the beautiful view of the ocean. It was a very beautiful summer day, and Pike found himself in a most dour mood. The news of the destruction of Romulus was a shock to all, as was the apparent destruction of the USS Enterprise. Pike stood on the balcony along with Dr. Richard Daystrom. They had been through a lot together, including the ordeal with John Gill, and the transformation of the S.P.O.C.K unit into its current Vulcan/computer hybrid being.

"James T Kirk dead," Pike said, "it's just so hard to believe. I always thought if someone could challenge the laws of God and live forever," Pike said as he took in some of his martini, "it would have been Kirk."

"Well," Daystrom said as he sipped from a bottle of beer, "who knows? Maybe, if there is a heaven or hell, he's down there with the rest of his crew raising a ruckus to come back to life."

They both laughed at the thought.

"I still can't believe he's dead," Pike said again, softly.

"James T Kirk is not dead," said a third voice, "and neither is my son."

Pike and Daystrom turned to the door that led into the office from the balcony. Standing in the doorway was Sarek; the Vulcan Ambassador, who had been thought to be dead as well!

Continued…


	63. The Return

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

**EARTH  
STARFLEET COMMAND  
Located on Archer Island; Artificial Island Construct  
Off the coast of Daytona Beach, Florida**

* * *

Previously…

_The outside sounds of the wind and traffic below were suddenly, it seemed, washed away with the unannounced appearance of Sarek and his most incredible statement._

"What do you mean they're not dead?" Pike asked, as both he and Richard Daystrom stood up from their seats to great the Vulcan.

"Please," Sarek said, "I find the so called warm days on your world still quite cold." Sarek said. "Can we speak inside your office Colonel Pike?"

"Oh," Pike said as he put his drink down on the table beside him on the balcony of his office, "sure."

Pike, Sarek and Daystrom entered the office. Pike walked behind his desk and sat down, as did Sarek and Daystrom on the other side of the desk. Pike had met the Ambassador once before, though for only a brief moment of time.

"Ambassador Sarek, we thought you were dead. We got reports that you had abducted one of our shuttles, and chased after the VGR anomaly on your own, and were most likely killed when the VGR anomaly exploded inside the Romulus star system. And yet, here you are as if nothing happened, you managed to survive" Pike said to Sarek. "Do I need to call security? Are you a threat to Earth?" Pike asked as he poured Sarek, Daystrom and himself glasses of water from a pitcher on his desk. His tone was more of relief than of being nervous about any threat from Sarek.

"I did indeed; survive." Sarek said. "As for your shuttle, which I might add handled quite well considering it was of a simplistic Earth design, the Vulcan government will compensate you for its loss I can assure you."

"With all due respect sir, to hell with the shuttle," Pike said as he handed out the glasses of water, "what about Enterprise and Romulus? What did you find inside the VGR anomaly?"

"What I found inside the anomaly was a very confused life form, which both comprised, and in return, compromised the mind of the Romulan named Sevrin and, later, the human clone; Decker." Sarek said. "Suffice to say, it blamed the Romulans for their treatment of women through the ages. It also aimed some of its anger at your world as well, and in general, all life forms that treated women as simple objects. Even I have to admit that on Vulcan, ages ago, women were not treated equally. We out grew that behavior, and in some regards so has Earth and Romulans. Yet, it still found issue with Sevrin, and seeing him as Romulan, VGR set out to make a point."

"I don't see how destroying an entire civilization," Daystrom said, "is a logical act at all, since I thought it was determined that this entity merged with one of our Earth probes, Voyager 2, some time back."

"That's a good point," Pike added. "And even if it did act upon its perceived mistreatment of women, why not destroy Earth as well since Ilya came from here as well?"

"I believe," Sarek replied as he sipped on his water, "that her being from Earth gave your world time to redeem itself, in terms of your treatment of women. However, as for Romulus and its treatment of women? No such redemption would be granted, and so the VGR/Ilya/Remnant entity self-destructed, wiping out the Romulan fleet and destroying Romulus in the process."

"Incredible," Daystrom said, utterly shocked at the thought of an entire society, world in fact, being erased from existence in such away.

"Alright," Pike said, after giving it a thought as well, "that explains the Romulan fleet, and Romulus, but what about you and the Enterprise. How did you survive, and where is Kirk and his crew?"

"Ilya and I were actually enjoying a quite interesting game of Chess," Sarek told them both. "We were discussing the very subject of women and life, and I thought I was making a point, when one of your officers appeared inside the shared mental bond that Ilya and I existed in."

"Let me guess," Pike said, "Gary Mitchell."

Sarek looked to Pike and arched an eyebrow.

"Yes indeed, it was Gary Mitchell. How were you able to arrive at that conclusion?" Sarek asked.

"Believe it or not," Pike said, "I actually read Kirk's captain's logs. Plus he and I are good friends and he told me about the incident in his quarters with Mitchell, and subsequent visit by Mitchell before Kirk arrived at Vulcan that first time." Pike said to Sarek. "And, when you throw in what the Romulans were trying to do at Neptune, it's clear to me that there was something unique about Gary. In fact, Kirk speculated, to me, that Gary's very existence may have come from this unique Omega Particle that the Romulans were looking for on Neptune. Add to that the ability of Gary to bring back to life a dead child, it all lends itself to the possibility that he left a piece of himself inside of Kirk's soul."

Daystrom, having heard Pike's words about Gary, shook his head.

"I do not believe Gods would reveal themselves in such a way," Daystrom said to Pike. "You speak of Mitchell as if he is some kind of outcast of Olympus or even Heaven."

"Richard," Pike said Daystrom, "I am not saying that at all. All I am saying is that Gary Mitchell's existence is, at best, undefined."

"I agree," Sarek said. "In any event, he appeared inside my link with Ilya because of the fact I had shared a mind-meld with Kirk. I saw Mitchell inside Kirk's mind, when I melded with him back on Vulcan that first time. I believe what you just called a piece of the remnant, left by Mitchell inside of Kirk's mind, was passed into my mind as well."

"So," Daystrom said, "as you were sharing your existence with Ilya, Mitchell appeared and…?"

"He revealed to Ilya, who was really by that time just a manifestation of the VGR anomaly, that they were the same kind of existence. They were both, in fact, Remnants, or what the Romulans call Omega Particles. According to some, these Omega Particles are just beings that exist outside the time-continuum and keep the fabric of reality from falling apart."

"You don't agree with that belief?" Pike asked.

"It is not that I don't believe, Colonel Pike," Sarek said, "I just don't think the data lends itself to such a definition as of yet. In any event, the VGR anomaly believed it. Then it agreed to shed its physical existence and join with Mitchell on his quest to unite all of their kind; all Remnants. However, the VGR anomaly would not leave before making a final statement, thus destroying the massive anomaly it had become, and in so doing, destroying Romulus in the process."

"Alright, we'll table that for now...but the Enterprise's last known location was in orbit of that world," Pike said. "Where is she now?"

"The Enterprise, as well as Captain Kirk and my son Spock," Sarek said as he placed his glass of water back on the desk, "are on the other side of the galaxy. Unfortunately if your life span is as not as vast as mine," Sarek said to Pike, "You may never see them again."

-continued…


	64. High Spirits

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

**High Spirits**

Guinan was worried. She was worried, but she was able to make it not show. She had stocked her bar with enough drinks and snack food items, peanuts and the like, to last for a couple months, four months tops. But with the Enterprise now stuck in the Delta-Quadrant, and the return trip taking perhaps as long as eighty some odd years, it was quite clear she would be running out of supplies sooner than later.

She sat at the bar and was going over her stock. She didn't like using the ships computer to do her stock and inventory chores. She used an old calculator given to her by her father. Sure, it only had room for eight-digits, but it did the job and did it well. The problem with all the new computers and software was trying to learn them.

She was writing down some of the numbers generated on the calculator on her other old standby; a ledger sheet. Having owned three bars in the Chicago area, Guinan knew the benefits of keeping everything on a ledger. True enough, a computer could do the same job. But what if the computer crashed? No; she didn't like that kind of progress. She was old school, and she liked it!

But being old school didn't change the fact; the tap would be running dry. She had given in to that possibility when suddenly the doors to 10-Forward opened and Scotty entered.

Scotty, whose very family and other Scottish friends had a hand in building the Enterprise, had finally arrived to look at some lighting issues 10-Forward had been having for a couple weeks or so. Guinan was happy. If anyone could fix it, it was him.

"Thank you for coming," Guinan said. "I know you're busy, so I really do appreciate it."

"No problem lassie," Scotty in his slight Scottish accent said as he looked at the flickering light in the corner of the room. "So that's the bugger?"

Guinan nodded as she too looked at the flickering light. The light that was flickering was in the far corner. And while it didn't seem that bothersome, more than one customer had said something about it.

"Yeah, that's the one." Guinan said. "It isn't a major problem, but those seats over there offer a great view of the window. Three of your assistants have taken a crack at fixing it, and it's still doing that flickering thing."

"Well, I'll'a see what I can do," Scotty said. Then he noticed the notes she had been taking in reference to her stock of food and beverage items. "What'ya doing? I wouldn't expect any deliveries for some time."

"Oh," Guinan said with a slight giggle at Scotty's joke, "I was just going over my stock. And, well, it would seem that in a few months or so we're going to be hurting for any kind of recreational spirits, if you know what I mean."

"Eighty years is a long time to go without havin' a pint here and there," Scotty said somberly.

"I know," Guinan said. "This place, 10-Forward, is the only place the crew can come to so they can unwind with others in a communal way." She motioned to the dart board, pool tables, and small array of classic video games at the other end of the room. "And, I have to admit, drinking can help create bonds of friendship. It always has, it always will."

"Aye," Scotty said as his mind touched on some memories spent drinking with his buddies back home, "it sure does."

Scotty arched an eyebrow, a bad habit he had picked up from being around Spock too much.

"What are you thinking about?" Guinan asked as she noticed the arched eyebrow on Scotty.

"Back in me old academy days, my roommate and I, well, " Scotty said as the sound of guilt came to his voice, "we rigged up ourselves a distillery in our room."

"Nooooooooo!" Guinan said.

"Yeah, I know. " Scotty said with a smile. "But them damn bars located around the academy had laws, and they would have to close at midnight and, well ya know, sometimes midnight ainna be long enough."

"We had to close up at 2am, in Chicago." Guinan added. "But what are you saying? Do you think you could hook up a distillery here?"

"Well," Scotty said, "we could give it a try. If I recall, there is a water pump right above this floor. I could string a line down from it, straight into your back office, and I could rig up the rest there."

Guinan thought about it for a moment.

"What will we use?" Guinan said. "I mean, it's not like this ship is growing barley or sugar beets."

Scotty thought for a moment.

"Lassie," Scotty finally said, "you heard the Captain, we gonna be doing some exploring on the way back home. The captain knows that we will be needing food and water to get by on. So, I'll just suggest we look for some adequate substitutes for wheat, barley and sugar beets."

Guinan flashed him a skeptical smile.

"He'll put two-and-two together and know why you really want them for." she said.

"So?" Scotty added. "The captain's been known to down a few here and there. Besides," Scotty said. "I don't think Dr. McCoy is going want to have to deal with a bunch of officers going cold turkey."

"You got a point there," Guinan said.

Scotty headed over towards the light.

"Well," Scotty said, "let me take a look at that light of yours." Scotty said.

Guinan smiled. She had felt dour before Scotty had arrived; now she felt a little more hopeful. That solved the issue with spirits; but what about the lack of cashews?

* * *

**Three hours later.**

The Enterprise entered a star system that Spock, and the science department, had been studying for the past four days since setting a course for Earth. According to preliminary scans, the fourth planet in the system was Class-M; Earth like. And, according to the scans, the world was free of sentient life, and was abundant with vegetation and other resources the ship would stock up on. The Enterprise approached and entered orbit of the planet.

Scotty, who was on the Bridge, listened as Spock briefed Kirk on the data coming back from the scans. Scotty's ears perked up when Spock mentioned the abundance of vegetation; including fields upon fields of what appeared to be wheat, or maybe even barley. Scotty had yet to speak to the captain about Guinan's worry of running out of spirits. Scotty walked over to Kirk.

"Captain," Scotty said, "I was wondering if I might'a have word with you."

Kirk looked to Scotty and smiled.

"Scotty, go ahead and oversee the second round of shuttles that will be going down to the planet," Kirk said. "If Spock's figures are right, you'll find a very promising grain there that you and Guinan can experiment on."

"You already knew?" Scotty asked.

"Guinan brought this up with me about an hour ago, and I agreed with her." Kirk said. "But," Kirk added, "I get to sample your final product."

Scotty grinned from ear to ear.

"Aye cap'n," Scotty said. "Aye indeed."

Scotty turned around and headed out of the bridge, on his way to the shuttle bay. And, Kirk noticed, he did so with a wee bit more zip in his steps.

Spock walked over.

"Excuse me Captain," Spock said. "Our food stock, according to Master Chief Jackson, is sufficient at this time."

"Oh," Kirk said, "of that I have no doubt." Kirk added with a smile.

Spock arched an eyebrow and headed back to his station.

* * *

**Earth...the Streets of San Diego**

Colonel Christopher Pike had been like a father figure to James T Kirk for most of the young captain's career and life. And as the Colonel sat in the taxi-cab that traversed the streets of San Diego California, he couldn't help but remember the day he informed Kirk's mother that her husband, Jim's father, George, had been killed while test flying what would one day become the shuttlecraft that became standard issue for the World Space Agency.

The taxi-cab driver brought Pike out of trek down memory lane.

"Sir," the driver said, "we're here."

Pike paid the driver, and then stepped out of the car. It was the home of his younger sister, Caroline Pike-Andrews. Pike was quite proud of how far his sister had come in her life. She was an accomplished school teacher who had won many awards over her fifteen year career; and she showed no sign of slowing.

When the Enterprise had returned from Vulcan, and before it chased after the VGR anomaly, Jim Kirk came to Colonel Pike for help. Gary Mitchell, for all the evil he had done, had done one good miracle; he had brought young David Marcus, Kirk's son, back to life. The young infant had been killed when an asteroid fragment, ironically under the control of Gary Mitchell's mind, slammed into an island off the coast of Australia, killing everyone on the island, including Marcus.

For reasons of guilt, Gary, who had been Kirk's best friend since high-school, used his incredible powers to bring the child back to life. The child's mother, Carol Marcus, was dead.* With no other family alive, and wanting to make a better life for his child, Jim approached Colonel Pike for help on finding someone to help raise his son.

Caroline Pike and Jim Kirk had almost become an item, back in the past. They had become friends over time, and when Colonel Pike suggested Caroline, Jim Kirk agreed she was a brilliant choice, so long as she was okay with the idea. Caroline, and her husband Mark, had been unable to have children of their own. And they gladly accepted the chance to help raise Kirk's son. They knew that Kirk would still be the father of the child, and they would be more like an aunt/uncle.

* * *

Pike entered the apartment of Mark and Caroline. He smiled as he saw young David Marcus crawling around with much vigor.

"You're doing really well with him." Pike said as he handed his coat to Caroline.

"Well," Caroline said as she hung the coat on one of the racks by the door, "he has a lot of his father in him. That kid just goes and goes and goes."

"But," Mark added as the three adults made their way into the living room, "We wouldn't have it any other way.

"Chris," Caroline said, "is what the news saying true? Has the Enterprise been lost to the far side of the galaxy?"

They all sat down on the couches in the living room as young David began to play with some blocks in the center of the room.

"I'm afraid so," Pike said. "The Vulcans, and some of our own scientists, are looking into experimental forms of travel, and communication systems, to either bring them home or to keep in contact with them on their long return home."

"Eighty years?" Caroline asked with sadness in her voice as she looked at David. "This must really be hard on Jim, and the others on that ship, who have families and loved ones who they…" she shook her head, and began to cry softly, as Mark held her closer.

Pike knew his sister would be strong for David; and Mark would be strong as well.

Jim Kirk may not have had a family anymore of his own, outside of David. But sometimes, as Pike had learned in his life, friends could be the family that we all needed so badly.


	65. Encounter

**Star Trek; The Voyage Home**

**ENCOUNTER!**

The USS ENTERPRISE was in its fifth day in orbit of the uncharted planet they had come across not long after arriving in the Delta-Quadrant. It turned out to be class-M and a very beautiful world. There were large amounts of animals, and plant life, and it truly seemed like one of the most beautiful worlds there could possibly ever be.

Several edible fruits, and vegetables, and grain (to the excitement of Scotty and Guinan) were found, and later brought to the ship's food stores. The Transporters, which had been installed on the Enterprise before they embarked for Vulcan several months earlier, were off line due to maintenance. This meant that the shore-leave parties that Captain Kirk had agreed to, on the third day of their stay, had to be relayed down via shuttle-craft.

* * *

Hikaru Sulu, along with two other crew members, had come down on the fourth day of liberty call. A ridge of medium sized hills and mountains had been found nearby one of the lakes the crew was enjoying themselves at. Sulu, and his two friends, Ensign Sonya Gomez, of engineering, and Lt. Harris Miller, were avid rock climbers. And the small cliffs that ringed the small outgrowth of hills provided the perfect climbing venue.

Sonya Gomez came from Argentina, originally. She had been one of Scotty's first picks when he began to assemble his engineering crew. Scotty had known her older brother and was quite taken with her abilities. Sulu watched, from lower down the climbing rope, as Sonya reached the top and climbed up and out of view.

Harris Miller, who was second to the top of the line, was an Africa-American male from Chicago. He was the ship's leading botanist, and currently involved in an intimate relationship with Sulu.

Sulu pulled himself up onto one of the ridges that looked out over the lake. Gomez and Miller had already made it up to that point.

"It's about time sir," Gomez said. Her breath was barely affected by the climb whereas Sulu found himself gasping for air.

"I'm getting too damn old for this shit," Sulu said as he dusted off his climbing slacks.

"Nah, Hikaru" Miller said, "You're just getting fat from eating in the officer's mess."

The three of them laughed and sat down on the rock face and looked out over the beautiful lake in the distance. They could actually see a large group of Enterprise personal enjoying the beach, and swimming in the lake. A flock of nearby birds could be seen.

"What a beautiful world," Gomez said.

"Reminds me of Mission Bay," Miller said. "My folks moved to San Diego and they have a condo by this bay; Mission bay. I have seen old photos of it, and this place looks just like it."

It was clear to Sulu and Gomez that miller was missing Earth already; in fact they all were. Sulu had just lost his father a month before they left Earth, and he was only starting to come to terms with his estranged brother.

The three of them had taken one communicator, which Gomez wore around her waist, and one Phaser, which Sulu wore around his.

"Well," Gomez said, "I'll go start tapping the anchors in," she said motioning to the next area of the hill they were to climb.

"I'll help," Miller said as he followed her.

Sulu, still short of breath, remained where he was, and looked at the lake again. It was indeed a very beautiful world. The Captain had been prepared to leave after the third day, but with urging from Dr. McCoy, he extended the liberty time by two more days; and it was a good decision. They were far from home, and this kind of distraction would be good for the crew.

Sulu was about to doze off when, suddenly, he heard what sounded like a rockslide. He turned to see where Gomez and Miller had gone to, and then saw them both falling out of view. Sulu stood up and ran over to where they had been standing. The ridge they had been standing on had caved in, and both had fallen into it.

"Sonya, Miller, can you hear me?!" Sulu called down into the cave-in at his feet.

"Yeah," Gomez's voice finally replied. "But Harris has scraped his arm up pretty good."

Sulu could barely make them both out. They had fallen a good twenty feet or so and were now standing at the bottom of the collapsed area of rock.

"Nah," Miller said. "I'll be fine!"

Sulu felt relieved.

"Go ahead and call the Enterprise," Sulu said to Gomez. "I don't have any way to pull you two out of there."

"Alright," Gomez said, nodding her head. "I'll get on it."

Gomez reached for the communicator, only to find it on the ground. It had managed to fall off her belt, and by the looks of it, was smashed during the fall. She picked up what remained of it.

"Hikrau," Gomez, holding the communicator, said as she looked up at Sulu, whom she could see at the top of the cave in. "I don't think this thing is going to work."

Miller, who had begun to walk around the cave they had fallen into, suddenly saw something most interesting.

Sulu was about to tell Gomez he was going to go for help when she told him to hold on, and that Miller had found something.

"What? What did he find?" Sulu asked.

Sulu could only watch as Gomez walked out of view. He wondered what they had found down inside that cave.

Gomez walked over to where Miller was standing, on the far side of the cave. There appeared to be a humanoid of some kind, perhaps dead, on the ground, propped up against the wall of the cave. But it was quite clear to both Starfleet officers that the humanoid was not normal; at all.

And what neither Sonya Gomez nor Harris Miller could have known at that moment was that they were the first crew members of the Enterprise to have casted their eyes upon a Borg drone; and they wouldn't be the last.

(please visit my face book movie review site. Leave a comment and let me know you're from this site. Request a review and I'll get to it (no porn!). You can find a link to my site at my profile)

Continued…


	66. Life Goes On

While the Enterprise is stuck in the far off Delta-Quadrant, life back home on Earth goes on….

**STAR TREK; THE VOYAGE HOME**

**Life Goes On**

* * *

United Nations Senator Mitch Williams sat inside the office of the President of the United Nations. The office was located inside the massive United Nations complex located in Berlin, Germany. The door to the office opened and the President Harsha Jadhav, who was also the former President of India, entered the office.

"Good to see you Senator Wiliams," President Jadhav said as he shook hands with Williams, who had stood up in his honor.

Both men took their seats.

"Mitch, I'm pretty busy today, so let's keep this short." President Jadhav, "But, remember, I always have time to hear your most interesting take on events."

Senator Williams smiled.

"You like to prove me wrong," Williams said. "And while I am not always correct, I sure had John Gill pegged. I warned you about his activities long before the whole incident on that island of his."

"But other times you have been wrong. And yes," Jadhav said with his own smile, "that is part of the attraction to our relationship; when you are wrong. Now listen Mitch, if this visit of yours is some last attempt to talk me out of signing the documents that will have Earth join the United Federation of Planets later today; then your visit is a waste of time; I've already made up my mind." Jahdav said. "And if I may be so bold, the people of this world are, by a large margin, in favor of it."

Williams, who lit up a cigarette, while looking at the no-smoking sign on the far wall of the office, shook his head.

"Mr. President," Williams said, "I still am against our joining the Federation, for reasons or sovereignty you are well aware of, but that is not why I am here. I am here because of a piece of information I became aware of earlier today."

"And what would that information be?" President Jadhav asked pointedly, though he already had an idea to what it was.

"I have it on good authority," Williams began to say, "that the Ambassador from Vulcan, Sarek, has asked you to entertain the possibility of allowing the surviving Romulan population to relocate here; on Earth."

President Jadhav took a deep breath. He had hoped this idea would have been kept quiet while he discussed the matter with the Federation. But that was not to be the case.

"It's true, I have been asked about such a possibility." Jadhav finally admitted.

"Certainly," Williams insisted, "your answer will be absolutely not."

"To be honest," Jadhav said, "I have not given them an answer yet."

"Look," Senator Williams said, "despite our difference of opinions on many subjects, I consider you a friend Mr. President. But you cannot seriously be considering Sarek's request. The Romulans nearly took over Sarek's own world, Vulcan, five hundred years ago. Where does he get off even asking that of us, and more importantly, what makes you think the Romulans wouldn't try that sort of thing here?"

"The difference," Jadhav stated flatly, "is that the Romulans originally came from Earth. They descend from humans that were taken from Earth to Vulcan, and now they want to come back home because their adopted world has been destroyed. And besides, we're not talking about a large population at all. At best it would be no more than two or three hundred thousand. So, I don't really recognize the threat they post. And let's not forget; they are far more advanced in term of technology, and medicine, than we are. It would give us an instant boost in those areas. "

"Letting the Romulans return to Earth," Williams replied in a somber tone, "is an absolute risk. I hope you at least let the people of Earth debate this prospect before you commit us to this idea."

Jadhav nodded his head.

"I will," Jadhav said. "The Federation will not make us take the Romulans in, if we decide not to take them in. The Romulans are not even part of the Federation. But before you close the door to that possibility, remember this; there are forces out there in our galactic neighborhood that are far more powerful than a couple hundred thousand or so Romulans. I understand the risks taking them in, but I can't discount the leaps and bounds we might make with them here, further preparing ourselves as we begin to explore the galaxy; discovering both the good and bad of it."

Williams took in a deep inhale of his cigarette before continuing.

"That all sounds wonderful, and very poetic," Williams said to President Jadhav. "But don't forget; the Enterprise is lost to us because of a lone Romulan tampering with our society over a hundred years ago. Just think about the effects two-hundred thousand of them will have on our society. People love to romanticize the Roman legend. Why do you think that is?"

"The Romans represent the broad range of success and failure that a society can attain," Jadhav replied.

"That is part of it," Williams said. "However, I compare them to the dinosaurs. As kids, and even as adults, we love the dinosaurs. They were very powerful and beautiful beasts, to be sure but history sent them to the ash pile of history. The Romans are the same way. But put them in our time? It's like playing with fire; I hope you remember that."

Jadhav had no reply as Senator Mitch Williams stood, shook hands with him, turned and left. President Jadhav sat alone and pondered the Senator's words very carefully. The man had a point, Jadhav concluded. And it was a very good one indeed.

* * *

Aspen Wyoming;

The medium sized apartment complex had the typical swimming pool, laundry room and exercise room as well. And although it was late in the evening, and nearing the early morning; one of the tenants of the complex, who lived in apartment 104B by himself, waited by one of the clothing dryers.

He was waiting for his final load to be finished. It was his routine to do his laundry on Tuesday nights, sometimes until as late as 2am. It was a good time to not only do laundry, being that no one else did, but it allowed him to do two things at the same time; his laundry, and to go on raids with his WoW clan on his holographic PC while keeping track of the time left on the pay as you go laundry machines.

Reginald Barclay was his name. Not only was he one of Wow's most accomplished players; he was also one of the most intelligent men in the world. And little did he know, because he never read the news or watched TV, he would be soon be tasked with one of the most incredible responsibilities ever asked of him, let alone any other human, in the history of Earth. He would be asked to find a way to bring the Enterprise home; a starship which was stuck on the other side of the Galaxy.


	67. The Rating Game

Star Trek: The Voyage Home

Just wanted to take a brief moment and thank all of you who are following this story. You won't believe the dramatic twists that are on the way, so I hope you strap yourselves in and are prepared for what is to come.

By the way, I am also a local movie critic where I live, so, if you want to read my movie reviews please head up to my face book page. You can find a link to it at my profile, just copy and paste it into your browser. If you have a movie you want me to review, let me know (just please, no porn!).

Thanks…the next chapter of The Voyage Home will be out later tonight or early tomorrow morning…can you say…the BORG!


	68. A Death In The Family Again

**STAR TREK: The Voyage Home**

**A Death in the Family; Again**

* * *

The Enterprise, in orbit of an uncharted planet in system Delta-0005A108…

Upon further study of the data that had been gathered by several Vulcan probes that had explored the Delta-Quadrant decades earlier, the star system in which the Enterprise was currently situated had already been designated Delta-0005A108. The Vulcan probe, which had explored this part of the Delta-Quadrant, had only observed five planets in orbit of the star in the system from a far, and the Enterprise sensors concurred with those findings.

The view of the planet, from inside 10-Forward, was breath taking. Captain Kirk and Lt. Nadya Chekov were sitting at the table which was closest to the window that looked out upon the new world they were orbiting. They were having dinner together, as friends. Although fraternization was allowed, being the Captain of the ship, Kirk vowed to never become involved with one of his crew. But Kirk and Chekov shared a common relationship; Gary Mitchell. He had been Kirk's friend since high-school, and had also been Nadya's lover. The two, Kirk and Chekov, had not spoken much of the events that had transpired after she and Gary had transferred to the Reliant just before the whole ordeal with Khan happened (earlier plotline).

"It is such a beautiful world," Nadya Chekov said as she sipped on a nice cold Ice Tea and looked out the window at the swirling clouds that made the planet look alive.

"It is," Kirk agreed, "and you should be down there having fun like all the others. I could order you to go down there."

Chekov set her glass down and looked to Kirk.

"Captain, Jim, why did he do it?" Chekov asked, "Why did Gary strand us so far from home?"

Kirk shook his head. There was no way of telling why Gary Mitchell had stranded them nearly a century from Earth. But, strangely enough, Gary's actions always seemed to have some kind of reason to them; it just took time to figure the reason out.

"I don't know," Kirk replied. "Perhaps I should hate Gary for all that he has done, I mean; he did kill my son, and his stranding us here as well." Kirk said. "But, then, he did bring David back to life, so perhaps one day he will bring us home."

"True," Chekov said, "But if we can't find another way home, you'll be long dead before you ever see your baby again."

"I know," Kirk said, "It's a damned if I do damned if I don't paradox."

"What caused him to change?" Chekov asked. "That first time I met the two of you he was so young and full of life, and such a prankster. He was such a flirt, and yes, I know I led him on." She said with a smile and a small tear in her eyes. "And what is he now? He's nothing but a cold blooded monster. He knew that parasite was in my body the whole time, and he did nothing about it."

"Nadya," Kirk said, "I'm your Captain and I'm your friend; let it go. If you try to wrap your mind around what Gary was and what he is now, you'll lose yourself. You have friends on this ship who will help you move on, just give us a chance."

Chekov smiled.

"I know," she said. "All of you have been wonderful in accepting me back. I mean, considering" she added with a smile, "I am a cold blooded murderer."

They both chuckled at that ironic truth.

"That wasn't you," Kirk assured her. "Khan did that to you, stuck that thing in your ear. We all know that now, including the family of the two men who died. So stop beating yourself up over it."

Kirk was about to say something when the voice of Lt. Wendy Myers came over 10-Forward's com units.

_"Captain Kirk," her voice rang out, "Would you please contact the bridge as soon as possible."_

Kirk walked over to the nearest com unit which was next on one of the walls near the observation window. He pressed one of buttons.

"Kirk here," he replied.

_"Sir," Myers said, "There has been some kind of incident on the planet. Mr. Scott is on channel B."_

Kirk pressed another button.

"Kirk here," Kirk said, "What is it Scotty?"

_"Captain," Scotty replied, his voice trembling in what sounded like sadness from somewhere down below on the surface of the planet. "I can't believe it, I…I.."_

"Report Mr. Scott!" Kirk demanded.

_"We were hiking in the trees near the lake, near the hills," Scotty said, "and then we heard a horrific scream. Sir, we found Sulu. He fell of the one of the cliffs; Sir, he's…he's dead!"_

Kirk froze for a moment in time. And in that second of time, anger grew in his soul. He darted out of 10-Forward, with a worried Guinan and Chekov gasping in shock at the news Scotty had relayed.

Hikaru Sulu was dead!

* * *

As a crowd Enterprise crew members gathered at the bottom of the cliffs, three strange humanoid figures watched from afar. They watched through visual implants as several more humans arrived at the place Sulu was motionless on the ground.

The three figures were Borg drones; and it was their instinctive nature to add more drones to the collective. The newest members to the collective, Sonya Gomez and Harris Miller, no longer had the memories of their lives up to the point they had been assimilated. Now they had one function; to exist as part of the collective and to add to the vitality of the collective by assimilating others. To resist this existence was futile; they were drones and that was their reason for being.

Next time; Trelane!

vistit me at my face book movie review site. The link can be found at my profile right here at


	69. Trelane

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

* * *

"**Trelane"**

**Earth**  
**Archer Island**

Colonel Christopher Pike stood at the entrance of his nearly abandoned office. His desk, a gift from his mentor Robert April, had already been taken during the short time he had dined with Sarek and Amanda. Only a few boxes remained, and because of the recent loss of the Enterprise, the files pertaining to the Enterprise, including the crew manifest, were left out. Pike had already notified most of the family and close friends of the ship's crew, lost somewhere on the other side of the galaxy.

This night would be the last night Pike would be in his soon to be former office. Many memories had been made, both good and bad, in the office. But, along with the rest of the United Space Agency, he was now being shifted into the Federation's Starfleet Command.

But before he left for the last time, he needed to do some final administrative actions pertaining to the Enterprise crew. But before doing so, Pike decided to head back to the cafeteria one last time and get himself a strong pot of coffee to help keep from falling asleep while reviewing the files.

Pike headed out of his office and down the hallway. But just as before, before he had returned to his officer after eating dinner with Sarek and Amanda, Pike had a strange feeling that he was being watched. He entered the elevator and pressed the button that would take him away from the floor he was on.

Pike exited the elevator just one floor up instead of the five floors up where the cafeteria was. Pike's instincts told him that he had a visitor, an unwanted visitor, in his office. He made his way down the emergency stairway. He walked as quietly as possible. Finally exiting on the right floor, Pike quietly made his way down the hallway. Without skipping a beat, Pike burst into his office. And sure enough a stranger was there, holding and looking at the Enterprise manifest

"You;" Pike said the teenager he found, "You're just a boy."

Pike was indeed right; the stranger who had broken into Pike's office appeared to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. He wore blue jeans, and a black leather Jacket, and had an arrogant look to match his golden blond hair.

"I am no mere teenager, I assure you." The boy said.

"Alright, for now I will accept that as fact." Pike said with a smile, not wanting to cause the boy to panic. "Do you mind telling me just who you are and why you are in my office?"

"My name is Trelane," the boy said with an air of arrogance in his voice. "I am not accustomed to being questioned in this manner by a mere mortal."

"Is that so?" Pike asked.

"Indeed so," Trelane said. "Should I be so inclined I could remove you from this dreary life of yours and there would be nothing you could do about it."

The boy seemed normal enough, but somehow someway, Pike knew there was indeed something unique about him.

"Okay," Pike said, "So you are a powerful God like entity. But if that is the case then why do you need to sneak around my office?"

"Even a God, as I will be someday, has limits." Trelane said with obvious annoyance in his voice. "Those of my kind first have to be chronologists, which is both good and bad for me, you, and," Treylane said as he held up the cover of the Enterprise's manifest, "them."

The tone of the conversation became serious.

"What do you mean by that?" Pike asked.

"Colonel Pike, I would normally have the ability to bring your little lost toy in the Delta-Quadrant home with just the snap of my finger. But since this a trial that even I must endure, I cannot. My vessel can make the trip in, oh, ten of your seconds." Trelane said with a snide smile on his face.

"Then why don't you take as many trips as you can and bring my friends home?" Pike asked in a serious tone.

"There are rules," Trelane said, "that even I must follow. One such rule is that I cannot undo the actions of another one of my kind."

"Gary Mitchell?" Pike asked.

"The being you know as Gary Mitchell has put into motion a series of events that will, believe it or not, shape the history of the entire galaxy." Trelane said in all seriousness. "I, in my humble way, get to record these events. However, my information about you humans is very scant. Not too long ago, one of the people on your precious lost ship died; his name was Hikaru Sulu I believe, and so that is why I came here to get something like this." Trelane said, holding the manifest.

"Sulu is dead?" Pike asked in a slight tone of anger.

"Yes," Trelane said. "How it happened, why it happened, who did it? These are all questions that you as well as Captain Kirk, and I, I might add, would like to know. But, as I said before, I cannot interfere; I can only watch and record as is my task through all of this. Hopefully, when it this is all done, I will have passed this part of my test and be allowed to become truly part of the Continuum."

"That's all fine and dandy," Pike said, "but these are people on that ship. They are not toys in some game between the Gods. Some of them have family, children even, who want so much to see them again. Why make them go through this?"

"I like that," Trelane said to Pike, "I really like the Game between Gods motif you suggested. It sort of has an air of regality, like I do; don't you think?"

So much was happening, and for all Pike knew, the kid was a raging lunatic. But almost instinctively he felt as if the boy was being truthful, and arrogant, at the same time.

"Bring them home," Pike insisted, "now."

Trelane shook his head.

"I'm sorry Colonel Pike," Trelane said, "but believe me when I tell you; I can't. Not now at least. You know what the strangest part is? I never really believed my actions could affect so many, and cause so much change on a galactic level. And now, with just one flick of his fingers, Gary Mitchell has done just that. I have learned a valuable lesson through his actions, and I will thank him for it should our paths ever cross."

"You are an advanced species?" Pike asked.

"We are," Trelane said, "Not just anyone can become a God you know."

"Then where is the mercy that so called Gods have?" Pike asked.

Trelane thought for a moment, and almost brought the Enterprise back, but then stopped, looked to Pike and smiled.

"That was very clever," Trelane said finally. "You almost got me with that one. I'll tell you what I will do, since for right now it won't have any real bearing on what is to come, I will let you visit with Captain Kirk."

"You can do that?" Pike asked.

"I am," Trelane said with a smirk, "a God."

Trelane smiled, snapped his fingers, and then he and Pike were gone.

* * *

High above Earth and inside of Trelane's vessel, Pike and Trelane appeared from out of nowhere.

"Nice ship," Pike said, "for a God. I didn't know such kind of transportation was required for his holiness." Pike said as he sat down in the small passenger cabin.

For a moment Pike had thought about trying to attack Trelane, but for now, he decided against it. Pike sat down and looked at the main viewing screen. It showed Earth, and then the screen went dark.

"You might say," Trelane said to Pike, "that my wings have been clipped. But do not worry my dear sir; this ship was mine long before I was part of the Continuum. And a trip that I could usually do with a snap of my finger, will take a wee bit longer."

"That's the second time you have referred to something called the Continuum," Pike said. "Just what is that?"

Trelane nodded.

"Yeah, I know, I think Continuum sounds kind of silly too, but it's the name of the club; so who am I to change it?" Trelane asked rhetorically. "Any way, don't concern yourself with it, besides," he added, "we're here."

"You mean, we're in the Delta-Quadrant?" Pike asked, not believing in such a small span of time that they had traveled so far.

"See for yourself," Trelane said.

The screen came back on and a world, a beautiful green and blue world, came into view. The continents were in a much different pattern than Earth's, so Pike knew they weren't in Sol's system.

"This is the Delta-Quadrant?" Pike asked. "I don't believe you."

Trelane shook his head.

"I find your lack of faith; disturbing, to quote an old friend of mine." Trelane said in a mocked menacing way.

"I'll give my donation at your shrine later, if you don't mind." Pike said with a smirk.

Trelane laughed.

"I like you Colonel Pike," Trelane said. "I think we're going to be great friends, someday."

Pike forced a smile.

"Yeah," Pike said, "right."

Then Pike's jaw dropped when he saw, not far from their position, the USS Enterprise.

* * *

**The Enterprise, in orbit of an uncharted planet in system Delta-0005A108.**

Captain Kirk stepped up onto the Transporter pad. He had ordered the Transporters on line to help with evacuating the crew members from the planet. Kirk had ordered an end to all shore-leave in response to Sulu's death on the planet until the cause of Sulu's demise had been determined. Kirk nodded his head at the Transporter chief.

Moments later, Captain Kirk shimmered into solidity on what was supposed to have been a peaceful world for the crew to relax and relieve the tension of being lost, far from home, in the Delta-Quadrant. Kirk looked around. The planet, with its luscious trees, hills, and lakes, was as beautiful as Earth. But it also appeared to be just as deadly as well. Kirk watched one of the shuttles take off, as it took more of the crew back to the ship.

Spock walked up to Kirk.

"Captain," Spock said to Kirk.

"Talk to me Spock," Kirk said as the two walked towards the small hillside where Sulu had plunged to his death from. "What the hell happened?"

"We are still investigating all of the particulars", Spock told Kirk. "There are a few unexplained matters that should be put into order before we can answer conclusively as to what happened to Sulu. On the surface it would seem as if Mr. Sulu slipped off the ridge. However; there are still some unanswered questions."

"Like what?" Kirk asked. "Are you saying this wasn't an accident?"

They arrived at the spot where Sulu's body had been found. A couple security officers, along with a science team as well, were analyzing the area.

"For now," Spock repeated, "It would appear to be an accident, Captain." Spock admitted, "However; there are some interesting questions up there." Spock said as he looked up to the top of the ridge where Sulu fallen from.

"What about the other two crew members he was with?" Kirk asked. "Any sign of them yet?"

"We have not found them yet, Captain." Spock said, "There are signs of some kind of cave-in up there, so it is quite possible Harris and Gomez are trapped inside the cave-in. The dense walls of these mountains are proving to be hard for our sensors to penetrate. Lt. Gil Grissom is leading the investigating at the cave-in sight. He was about to inform me of some interesting findings just before you arrived."

"Good, Gil's a good man. If anyone can solve this, he can. Did Sulu have a weapon or a communicator?" Kirk asked.

"One of each was checked out by Sulu before he, Ensign Gomez and Lt. Miller went for their hike." Spock replied.

Kirk shook his head.

"Sulu was a good man, and didn't deserve to die like this; no one does." Kirk stated the obvious. "We've not even been here for a week and we've already lost one, and possibly three valuable crew members. I want to know why," Kirk said to Spock. "We will not leave until that is answered." Kirk said; anger at the tip of his words.

"Yes sir," Spock said.

Kirk was about to have himself beamed up to the ridge on the top of the hill when, from about fifty yard away, he saw a flash of light near some trees and, from out of nowhere, two people were suddenly standing where the flash had come from. And one of the two looked like none other than Colonel Christopher Pike!

"Do you see that too?" Kirk asked Spock, wanting to make sure he wasn't losing his mind.

"I do indeed sir," Spock replied, "It is Colonel Pike. I do not recognize the other person he is with however."

"Come on," Kirk said as he started to jog toward Pike and the newcomer. Spock followed after him.

* * *

Trelane, seeing Kirk and Spock coming towards them, looked to Pike.

"I have to leave you now; Colonel Pike. It is not my time yet to meet your dashing hero named Captain James T Kirk." Trelane said. "You have ten of your Earth minutes to say what you must, and then it will be back to Earth for you. So make it snappy my good fellow."

And just as Kirk and Spock came running up to Pike and Trelane, Trelane smiled at Kirk, snapped his fingers, and vanished.

"Chris," Kirk said, short of breath. "Is that really you?"

"Yes," Chris said as the two friends shook hands. Pike reached out and pulled Kirk close to hug his young friend. Ten minutes would not last long...

Next time; Reunion!


	70. Cause and Effect

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

**Cause and Effect**

* * *

_Previously_

_Trelane, seeing Kirk and Spock coming towards them, looked to Pike._

_"I have to leave you now; Colonel Pike. It is not my time yet to meet your dashing hero named Captain James T Kirk." Trelane said. "You have ten of your Earth minutes to say what you must, and then it's back to Earth for you. So make it snappy my good fellow."_

_And just as Kirk and Spock came running up to Pike and Trelane, Trelane smiled at Kirk, snapped his fingers, and vanished._

_"Chris," Kirk said, short of breath. "Is that really you?"_

_"Yes," Chris said as the two friends shook hands._

_-our story continues-_

"Who was that with you? Kirk asked.

"Oh, his name is Trelane," Pike told Kirk. "Apparently he is a being not unlike our own Gary Mitchell."

"Can he bring us home?" Kirk asked.

"If I take him at his word then no he can't; not now at least. He just appeared in my office back on Earth and I found him looking at the Enterprise manifest." Pike said. "Getting him to even bring me here was hard enough. Jim; we only have ten minutes, so enough about him. What about Sulu and the rest of the crew?"

"Lt. Sulu is dead," Spock replied. "We are only just now starting our investigation. While it may seem at this point to be accidental, we cannot locate the two crewmembers that were with him earlier this day. There has been a cave in which may explain a great deal."

"Damn, Sulu was a good man. So, "Pike said as he took in his surroundings, "Just where are we?" Pike asked.

Spock answered the Colonel.

"We are in the Delta-0005A108 star system, on the forth planet from the Sun. A Vulcan probe studied this part of the Delta-Quadrant fifty years ago. There was no sign of sentient life. However, that probe's mission was quite limited I must admit." Spock replied.

"And to make a long story short," Kirk added, "we have been here for five days. I only authorized shore leave two days ago, and then this happened."

Pike could sense the tension that Kirk was putting off.

"Look Jim," Pike told his once young protégé, "I know this isn't the greatest turn of events." Pike said. "But I know of no better starship captain to see this crew through this."

"What happened to Romulus?" Kirk asked.

Pike could tell that Kirk was trying to change the subject, and he couldn't blame the young captain.

"Romulus was destroyed by the VGR anomaly, but the President of the United Nations has offered to let the last survivors of Romulus to settle on Earth; on of all places Archer Island. Incidentally, Mister Spock, your father is alive and well. In fact, I just dined with him last night."

"I appreciate your telling me this information Colonel Pike." Spock said.

"So I take it we joined the Federation," Kirk deduced, "and the move to San Francisco is going forward."

"Listen to me," Pike said seeing the slight dismissive look in Kirk's eye, "we have our best minds, and the Vulcans as well, working on this. Sarek," Pike said to Spock, "is trying his hardest to martial the best minds in the Federation. We even have none other than Reginald Barkley working it as well."

"Most impressive," Spock said. "Even my world is quite versed in the mathematical mind of Dr. Barkley."

"And don't worry about David," Pike assured Kirk. "Caroline and Mark are going to take great care of little David until you return."

Kirk looked at Pike with cold eyes.

"I'll be nearly a hundred and twenty years old; he'll be eighty, until I see him again." Kirk said. "I'm not the only one; what about all the others who left children and loved ones behind?"

"You're just going to have to get them through this, and I know you will." Pike replied.

"The colonel is right Captain," Spock said. "In the span of one week we have come into contact with two beings with the ability to move across the galaxy in merely a wink of an eye. For all we know, there may be other encounters in our future."

"Your father would find your inspirational words quite interesting Mister Spock." Pike added with a knowing smile.

"And I am sure, quite illogical as well." Spock added.

Pike began to fade.

"Looks like this is it; time for me to go Jim," Pike said to Kirk. "Take care my friend; and have hope. We will do our best on our end to bring you back, or at least to communicate."

Pike faded away and Kirk waved goodbye as Spock also offered the Vulcan hand salute.

And with that, Pike was gone.

* * *

Pike reappeared on Trelane's ship.

"Sorry to cut your visit short Christopher," Trelane said, "but even a God's mercy has its limits." He added with a smile.

"The human mind and ability," Pike said to Trelane, "will amaze you."

"We'll see," Trelane said, "we'll see. I will have the good fortune of meeting your Captain Kirk in due time. It will be glorious. I think I will appear to him as; a woman." Trelane added with a smile.

Pike's face almost went green.

* * *

**Earth; the new Starfleet Headquarters**

Admiral Cartwright stared at the tactical read out that adorned the massive wall inside the new Starfleet Command Headquarters in San Francisco. It tactical read out was focused on an area above Earth.

"So," Cartwright said to the gathered military experts who stood, "we are quite certain we can detect the UFO should it return with Captain Pike?"

"Yes sir," Commodore Robau replied.

"It's a good thing Pike had his transponder so we can locate him upon his instant return," Cartwright said.

"What do you want us to do when it appears?" Robau asked, while his hands glided across the tactical weapons consol.

Cartwright looked right at Robau.

"I want you to bring the Colonel home; at all cost!" Cartwright said, as he slammed his fist down on the large display next to his desk.

Sarek, standing in the upper level of the room, and who had arrived at Starfleet Command only moments earlier, cringed at the outward display of aggression by Cartwright. Sarek could only hope that in time, Vulcan, and other worlds of the Federation, would help temper the likes of those like Cartwright. Only time would tell.

* * *

All of the TV networks were repeating the footage, only hours old, of President Harsha Jadhav signing the agreement that brought Earth into the Federation. Most people believed it was the greatest event in the history of mankind; but not John Gill. And while most everyone in the world had thought he had perished when the asteroid fragment hit his island lair off the coast of Australia, he had in fact lived. And it was all thanks to a very secret alliance with a very controversial scientist named Roger Corby.

* * *

**Back in the Delta-Quadrant**

Kirk watched as the last wisps of Colonel Pike vanished from view

"Well," Kirk said as he looked to Spock, "looks like we're on our own."

"Agreed Captain," Spock replied.

At that moment Kirk's communicator chirped. He took the communicator off of his Velcro belt, and flipped it open.

"Kirk here," Kirk said into the device.

"Sir," Lt. Gil Grissom's voice said, "I think you may want to see what we found up here for yourself."

Kirk angled his head up and saw Lt. Grissom, at the top of the ridge, waving to him in the far distance.

"On our way," Kirk said he closed his communicator.

* * *

Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, Doctor McCoy looked over the final report on Sulu's autopsy, which he had just concluded himself doing. He went over some of the blood numbers, and with other information, McCoy decided that Kirk had to know the interesting information that had been collected. McCoy left sickbay, confident that Nurse Chapel, his head nurse, could run the show while he was on the planet below.

"Christine," McCoy said as he headed past her in the medical office, "I'm going down to the planet. If you need me, I've got my communicator."

"But I thought the captain didn't want anyone else going down there." Chapel said to McCoy.

"I know, but I think he'll want to hear this in person." McCoy said, flashing the cover of Sulu's report her way.

"Very well," Chapel said. "You better take care." She added.

McCoy nodded in acknowledgement and headed out of sickbay and headed for the Transporter room.

* * *

Kirk and Spock rematerialized on the top of the ridge where Sulu had fallen to his death. Lt. Grissom walked over to them.

Alright Lt. Grissom; what do you got?" Kirk asked.

"Captain, it is my belief, based on the forensic evidence my team and I have gathered, that Lt. Sulu was murdered," Grissom stated flatly.

Kirk didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Murdered by Gomez and Miller? Why?" Kirk quizzed Grissom.

"Sir, I didn't say Gomez and Miller killed Sulu," Grissom replied, "I believe those two are either dead themselves, or, have been taken prisoner."

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Spock inquired.

"Please come with me sir, and I'll show you," Grissom replied.

Kirk and Spock followed Grissom from the ridge to where there had been an obvious cave in. Grissom pointed at the charred rock surface that stretched all the way down into the cave below. There was also a slight scent of burnt rock.

"Was there a fire fight?" Kirk asked.

"No," Grissom in a determined tone. "One weapon; a type-1 Phaser, the same kind of Phaser Lt. Sulu checked out before he and the others went hiking."

"Perhaps they were using the Phaser like one would use a flare." Kirk offered. "Perhaps they were trying to send out a signal for help."

"I had thought of that myself, but the firing pattern shows that whoever fired the Phaser, did so from right where you are standing, Captain. And, not only that, but the volleys became higher and higher on this rock face which reaches down through the cave-in, into the cave below us."

"What you're implying," Spock said, "is that whatever was being fired at, from down there in the cave, was gradually coming up through the cave in, coming towards where we are standing now."

"No doubt about it Mr. Spock," Grissom said. "The pattern on the rock surface shows that the Phaser was indeed being fired into the cave, not from out of it."

"So where is the Phaser now?" Kirk asked.

"Right over there," Grissom pointed.

Grissom took Kirk and Spock over to an area on the ledge where the Phaser was on the ground. A circle of red dye had been sprayed around it, a warning for all to not touch the weapon for the meantime.

"This phaser is nowhere near the ledge," Kirk said he looked down at the weapon.

"I know," Grissom said. "We found Sulu's finger prints on the trigger. And it would appear as if who, or what, he was shooting at, point blank range by the time it got up here, reached for the weapon, grabbed it from Sulu's hand, and threw it over here, and then threw Sulu off the cliff."

"Lt. Grissom, are you sure it wasn't possibly Gomez or Harris, or perhaps both, that attacked Mr. Sulu?" Spock asked.

Grissom flipped opened his communicator. Scotty's voice came from the speaker.

_"Enterprise here'a," Scotty said._

"Mr. Scott," Grissom said into the device, "can you beam the Captain, myself and Mr. Spock to the coordinates I gave you in the cave below?"

_"Just a second; Doct'a McCoy is beaming down as we speak."_

"Mr. Scott," Kirk said as he took Grissom's communicator, "I gave an order that no one was to beam down here."

_"Doct'a McCoy would not take no for an ansa," Scotty said, "and ya know how he can be."_

At that moment, McCoy shimmered into view.

"Why did you beam down here?" Kirk asked, and not in a causal way.

"Jim," McCoy said, as usual not caring what Kirk had to say when he had something to say that was important too. "I finished Sulu's autopsy ten minutes ago," McCoy reported. "We have to get off this planet; now."

_"Beaming now," Scotty said._

* * *

At that instant, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Grissom were transported down into the cave. The four of them rematerialized in a dark, dungy, dirt scented cave.

"We are in the cave," Grissom told Kirk, "nearly thirty feet down from where we just were. We found this." Grissom handed Kirk a shattered communicator.

Kirk looked at the communicator and turned to McCoy.

"Why must we get off this planet?" Kirk said to McCoy, "and why right now?"

"Look at this," McCoy said as he took a picture out of the folder he was holding.

The picture showed a lifeless image of Sulu's body. The next photo showed Sulu's head turned to the left and then a zoom in on an area of the dead man's neck. Two tiny holes were apparent on Sulu's neck. Almost look as if he had been bitten by a vampire.

"What are those marks?" Kirk asked.

"I don't know," McCoy said. "But the electron-microscope showed that there are millions, upon millions, of sub-atomic objects around the two wounds; but they are not organic. However, I believe they were, very recently, alive."

"Nannites, or some advanced form of nannites I would say." Spock said.

"And so what are you implying?" Kirk asked McCoy.

"Someone, I believe, was trying to inject Sulu with these things. Why would they want to do that? I don't know." McCoy said.

"Were they successful?" Grissom asked.

"No," McCoy said, "It looks like Sulu was able to fend them off."

"Is it possible," Kirk said, "that Sulu jumped to his death on purpose? To avoid…" He let his voice trail off and pointed at the picture with the puncture wounds on his neck.

"No," McCoy said, "look here." McCoy said pointing at the picture. "Something was grasping him by the neck, and," McCoy paused, "I have determined that the cause of death was not the fall, but a snapped neck."

Kirk had heard enough.

"Alright," Kirk said, "we're getting the hell out of here."

"Captain," Grissom said. "One more thing I must show you." Grissom said as he walked over to the cave wall. He motioned to an area that had obviously been disturbed, as if someone had been sitting there for a long time. "This area, where the fine sand and crumbled rock is, was obviously a place where someone, or something, had died, or had been motionless for a long time. According to my team, whatever had been there had been so for over one hundred years. And, according to our data, it moved for the first time since that time; today."

Suddenly rock debris started falling into the cave. Kirk and the others could hear yelling, Phaser fire, and horrific screams from the top of the cave-in where Grissom's team was still working.

"Enterprise!" Kirk yelled into his communicator. "Beam us up to the ledge, now!"

_"Aye sir," Scotty came back with. "It'll be a moment or two. The Transporter lock takes a moment to get through whatever those cave walls are made of."_

They scuffle above was still going on, but then came silence. Finally, two minutes later, Kirk, McCoy, Spock and Grissom were beamed away, and re-materialized on the ledge again. The three members of Grissom's team, all three, were gone.

"My team; they're Gone!" Grissom said with anger in his voice.

"Just like Gomez and Miller." Spock added.

"Let's fan out." Kirk ordered.

All four men drew out their phasers. After five minutes of a fruitless search, they regrouped at the site of the cave-in. Sulu was dead, and now five more of Kirk's crew were missing; and they still had no real clue as to what the attacker, or attackers, looked like.

"My men have been attacked, even killed, and I have no real clue as to who we're up against." Kirk said, not expecting an answer.

"Sir," Spock finally said. "The fact that the attackers have kept their nature hidden from us leads me to believe that our missing crew members, and Lt. Sulu, have been victims of; the Borg."

Kirk felt a chill go down his body. And, for the first time in a long time, he actually felt instinctive fear.

* * *

After returning to the Enterprise, and after three more days of scanning the planet surface, there was still no sign of Gomez, Miller, and the three men from Grissom's forensic team. It was as though the five of them had vanished without a trace. The mood of the ship had become somber; home never seemed as far away as it did at that moment.

But then, a few hours later, down in 10-Forward, life went on. An impromptu wake was held for Sulu and the others killed in action. Many of the crew shared funny stories about their fallen comrade. Japanese food was served for the crew, and even in the shadow of death, hope was still alive.

Scotty even restaged the dramatic sword battle he and Sulu had engaged in, against each other, when Sulu first arrived at the Academy many months in the past. Kirk smiled at the memory, because he was there and saw the incredible display of swordsmanship.

Later on, sleep finally came to Kirk, after McCoy had snuck a tranquilizer into his glass of wine. Kirk had barely gotten any sleep since the Enterprise had arrived in the Delta-Quadrant, and the wear and tear of command was starting to show. McCoy, with just a slight nod from Spock at the suggestion, slipped the invisible liquid into Kirk's drink after Kirk had ordered Mister Spock to make sure that all crew members, ALL CREW MEMBERS, as Kirk had put it, got the required eight hour sleep in the next two days. Spock and McCoy were only following orders; the Captain's orders.

Next time; Neelix?


	71. In Your Future

**STAR TREK: The Voyage Home**

**In Your Future**

* * *

**Aboard Trelane's ship; in deep space**

Colonel Christopher Pike had learned very early in his military life to observe all that was observable. And as he sat in Trelane's ship, swapping banter with the very powerful being that Trelane was, Pike had observed a few interesting details.

First off; it was taking far longer to return to Earth than it did going to the Delta-Quadrant, which had only taken ten seconds. Which either meant Trelane was just taking his time, or, Pike thought, there was some event, which Trelane didn't care to alert Pike of, that was causing them to take longer to return to Earth.

Trelane was going on and on, which he seemed to love to do, about how the lower life forms of the universe, humanity among them, were like children. Trelane explained how the higher life forms were obliged to nourish, with the care and temperament that only a God could provide. Pike could only roll his eyes as he listened. Yet again, Trelane was pretty powerful. He had the ability, or at least his ship did, to travel the galaxy at extreme speeds. There was no telling what else Trelane, or others like him, including Gary Mitchell, could do.

Both Trelane and Pike were eating from a bowl of apples, which had been provided by the simple snap of Trelane's fingers, and then Trelane suddenly decided to change the subject. The tone became a little more serious as well.

"You have no doubt wondered why our trip back to Earth is taking a little longer than I had hoped," Trelane said as he chewed on his apple. "I'll get to that in a moment, but, please Colonel, take a look outside the window; I want you to see something." Trelane said as he took a bite out of his apple.

Pike looked out the window and was unprepared for what he saw. Several large, very large, cone-shaped objects in space were discharging some kind of beam at a planet. The beams were literally slicing up the planet. It was the most awesome, and horrifying display of destructive power, Pike had ever seen. And in the distance, nearly as black as space itself, was a large cube shaped object that just sat there; as though it was observing the destruction of the planet for no other reason than just to observe. The size of the cube shaped object was un-measurable. Pike guessed it was as large as Mount Everest if not larger.

"What is going on here?" Pike asked, in a whisper. As if he was trying to make sure that whatever those things were, wouldn't hear him.

Trelane came over to the window, and like a child, looked out the window in total awe of what they were seeing. Chunks of the planet had now been blasted away from the planet, and a few of the long, cone shaped objects, were using what appeared to be tractor beams, unseen energy forces that pulled chunks of the planet into their large unmoving mauls; as if they were, for lack of a better term, eating the planet for nourishment. Trelane took a big bite out of his apple.

"Wasn't that just incredible Colonel Pike?" Trelane asked excitedly. "Oh, look at that one!" Trelane pointed at another chunk of the planet as it was obliterated by the devices. "Don't worry my good sir," Trelane said to Pike. "I assure you that we are completely safe. But I can't help but stop and see something like this happening; it is exciting don't you think?"

"I noticed there was water on that planet," Pike said. "Was there any life?"

Trelane thought for a moment.

"Yes," Trelane said, "I believe so. It was a humanoid species, much like your own in fact, which had a population of over two billion. Their technology level wasn't quite up to your level, but then again, there must have been some kind of value or their world would never have been destroyed."

"What do you mean by that? What do you mean it had value?" Pike asked, in a cold manner.

"Well," Trelane said, "the Borg just don't go around the universe destroying every race they come across. They only assimilate those who offer them some kind of value."

"I have heard of the Borg," Pike said. Pike looked out the window at the carnage of the destroyed world. "You've got the power of a God, so why didn't you stop them?" Pike asked, feeling sorrow for the massive loss of life.

"Why would I?" Trelane replied. "It's the order of the universe. I am no different than the humans who observe nature on your world, and allow the natural death of animals, for example; not lifting a finger when the deer is torn apart by the wolf."

"It's not the same thing," Pike said.

"Life is life," Trelane said. "And as for the reason we are taking our time to return to your world? Well, it would seem as though one of your minions, Admiral Cartwright I think is his name, along with his trained mice, are planning to attack my ship upon our arrival. I want them to be totally prepared, so they can do their best."

"And you know this? How is that possible?" Pike asked.

"How Do I know? Colonel Pike; does the phrase all-knowing mean anything to you?" Trelane asked.

At that instant, Trelane snapped his fingers and gone were his leather jacket and blue jeans. In their place was a uniform just like Pikes', a Colonel's uniform no less.

"What are you doing?" Pike asked.

"I will be taking my leave from you very shortly," Trelane said as he put his apple core in the discard bowl, and then stood up. "I just want you to know that our paths will cross again. And when they do, I will be wearing this uniform as well, so as to show you, that from this time forward I will no longer act like a child; but as your equal."

"What about the Enterprise? Why don't you bring her home?" Pike asked.

"Gary Mitchell, as I told you earlier," Trelane said, "has set forth a chain of events that will involve the Enterprise, you, and," Trelane said pointing at the window, "the Borg. If I were you, I would prepare your people for the day they are assimilated by the Borg. I hate to be a sourpuss, Colonel, but right now, it doesn't look good for you."

* * *

At that moment Trelane's ship appeared high in Earth Orbit, just where it had been earlier. It was also surrounded by several starships and other Earth defense forces. Trelane snapped his fingers and Pike suddenly found himself in the main tactical control center at the new Starfleet Command on Earth.

Admiral Cartwright was stunned to see him.

"Pike has made it off that ship," Cartwright said to the tactical staff, "open fire; now!"

The starships all opened fire. Far below, on the surface of the ocean, several military ships launched missiles as well. The several explosions, that engulfed the area where Trelane's ship had last been seen, were enormous, and went on and on for several long minutes. And as the explosions continued, Pike had a slight grin on this face. He knew it was all in vain. Trelane was playing them all as fools. And when the smoke diminished, the black sleek ship was still there. And then Trelane's face appeared on the five very large viewing screens that were on the walls that surrounded Starfleet Tactical.

"Well," Trelane said as he sipped from an ice-cold beer, "that was quite a fireworks display; boys." Then he looked directly at Pike. "We'll meet again Col. Pike; take care." Trelane added with a smile, and then; he was gone.

* * *

**In the Delta-Quadrant, aboard the USS ENTERPRISE**

Captain's Log Star-date;24501  
(Due to Earth's joining the Federation, the Captain's log will now be tagged to the Star-date system used by the Federation's Starfleet Command.)

_It has been two weeks since the unfortunate deaths of our crew mates, and the impromptu visit of Colonel Pike. We have left that world far in the distance, and with good riddance._

_The Enterprise has made contact with the called the Emarians. They are a humanoid race, which our science department has found fascinating without end. The presence of humanoids this far from Earth, and the Alpha-Quadrant, indicates some very interesting debates lay ahead about the spread of hominoids throughout the galaxy._

_In need of water supplies, we have asked the Emarians for permission to come to their world for water, and other food products. They are a warp faring civilization, and are on par with our own technological level. They have accepted our requests, and, thankfully, ask nothing in return. After two days of analyzing Emaria Prime, the Emarian's home world, the science and medical departments have given me the green light to permit shore-leave. I can only hope that this time the shore-leave is more peaceful. The death of Sulu, and the missing crew-members, hangs over the crew like an open wound._

_But it is time we heal, and move on._

-  
**Emarian Prime**

The two creatures, called Pachan, which were locked in mortal combat, were as graceful as they were violent. Looking like a cross between a wolf and a gazelle, the two Pachans were able to move with precision and, when they attacked, it was deadly. The jaws of the beasts sported two rows of teeth, with two very sharp fangs close together at the front of the mouth.

A large arena, with nearly twenty-thousand spectators, watched the match between to the beasts. A faint haze of smoke, from cooked food the spectators had bought and were eating, as well as the smell of exotic drinks, filled the air. As with most sports, wagering had been placed before the fight had started. Each of the beasts seemed to have an equal amount of the cheering throng on their side. Emarians of all ages, from the smallest of children, to the oldest of adults, comprised the bulk of the arena. And with each thrash, or attack by the beasts on each other, came a large cheer with an equally loud booing sound as well. The tension in the arena could not be denied; it was glorious.

Montgomery Scott, Leonard McCoy, Nyota Uhura and Nadya Chekov were also among the crowd. Scott had placed a bet on the darker colored Pachan, and McCoy had wagered on the lighter colored beast.

Captain Kirk had been able to negotiate a good exchange rate between the Enterprise and Emarians on the exchange rate of Federation gold and Emarian credits. The gold, which was part of the Enterprise's cargo, thanks to Colonel Pike's forward thinking and the exploration of space, was worth quite a deal in the Delta-Quadrant. Exchanging their pay for gold, the crew of the Enterprise could now enjoy the Emarian world in style.

The crowd suddenly cheered as the dark colored Pachan attacked the light colored one. Snapping at one of the two rear legs, a large chunk of flesh was bitten off. Purple blood trailed out of the wound as the lighter colored beast ran for its life. The crowd cheered, and so did Scotty.

"Go get'm!" Scotty cheered at his Pachan. "Kill the beastie now!"

Uhura shook her head in disgust.

"I can't believe you talked us into coming here," Uhura said, over the roar of the crowd. "This is a disgusting sport. It reminds me of the dog-fights back on Earth. We outlawed this barbarism you know."

"Hey," Scotty said as he watched the Pachan he betted on chase after the wounded prey, which had climbed a set of rocks in the center of the arena. "All we're doing is learning about a new society; what's wrong with that?" Scotty asked.

"He's right," McCoy added. "This new Federation we're apart of has some kind of non-interference code. And it wouldn't be polite for us to condone our hosts because their customs are not the same as ours."

"Well," Uhura said, "I still don't have to like it. What about you?" Uhura asked Chekov.

"I find it fascinating just to watch how the crowd responds," Chekov said as she looked about the crowd.

"You've been hanging around Spock too much," Uhura said.

* * *

_Suddenly, without warning, Uhura found herself falling; inside her mind. Something had grabbed hold of mind, and she felt as though she was falling. And then, she was a child._

_Uhura was, at best, five years old. And as she looked at her image in a nearby mirror, she was no longer human; she was an Emarian child. Uhura was somehow, someway, in the mind of an Emarian child, and was, it seemed, reliving a memory.  
_  
_A male Emarian came over to her and lifted her up into his arms. Her mind told her it was her father, her Emarian father.  
_  
_"Today, my child, we will go to the cavern and retrieve your first pet; a Pachan. My first pet was a Pachan, you mother's (who Uhura sensed was dead) had a Pachan, and now you, Marilina, will have one as well."  
_  
_Try as she might, Uhura could not speak to the man. She was now convinced she was living through the memory of an Emarian child; and there was nothing she could do about it.  
_

* * *

**Aboard the Enterprise**

Spock was in his quarters, sitting at the desk in his work room. Suddenly his door chimed, and Spock pressed a button on the desk. The door to his quarters opened and Kirk came in.

"I thought you would have gone down to the planet to observe the Emarian society," Kirk said to Spock.

"I have assigned Chekov that task," Spock said.

Kirk walked over to Spock's work desk and was surprised to find Gary 7's dead cat sprawled out on it.

"What's this all about?" Kirk asked, with a slight squeamish tone to his voice. "Is this why you asked me to come down here?"

"Yes Captain," Spock said. "I have made a most interesting observation."

"Which is?" Kirk asked.

"This feline before you," Spock said looking down at the cat, "is a mechanism."

"What do mean?" Kirk asked.

Spock arched an eyebrow, and turned to face Kirk.

"I believe." Spock said, with a slight pause, "It is Borg."

Continued….


	72. Welcome Wagon

**STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME**

**Welcome Wagon**

* * *

**The Delta-Quadrant; Planet Emarian Prime**

_(Nyota Uhura, somehow inside the mind of an Emarian, experiences the memories of a child. Try as she might, Uhura cannot break the telepathic communication between her mind and the mind of the Emarian. Around her, and unaware of her captured mental state, Scotty-McCoy and Chekov watch the battle continue between the two beasts. Meanwhile, inside of Uhura's mind.)_

It was a bright sunny day, and hundreds of Emarian children were lined up with their parents who were standing behind them. It was a very cheery atmosphere. The scent of barbecued food was in the air, and the sweet scent of various candies as well. Emarian comedians, and clowns, worked the crowd over as the excitement ran through the gathered throng.

Marilina was no different. Just like the other gathered young children, standing in front their parents, she smiled at the sight of the festivities. She had been preparing for this moment ever since she had turned four years old. And now, at last, she would get to partake in one of the first steps of becoming an adult; the great Pachan hunt.

The massive stage area, which looked out on the gathered crowd, was where most of the city elders sat. They too were caught up in the excitement and were eating various foods as the time for the hunt neared.

At that moment, the mayor of the city, Enucien, who was the oldest and wisest of the community, stepped up to the podium. The enthusiastic noise of the crowd began to fade as Enucien began to speak.

"My friends," Enucien said, "today we gather for the Pachan hunt!"

The crowd exploded into a new round of cheers, whistles and excited yelling. Again the noise eased as Enucien spoke again.

"Your children are about to begin their ascension into our society. Our history tells us that our kind have been hunting the Pachan in this manner for thousands of years. And while it is true we no longer need to hunt them for food, the practice is continued into our time as a celebration as to where we came from." Enucien said. "As I speak, the Pachan wardens are handing out the ceremonial k'aloots. It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that I still have mine!"

The crowd became loud as again and Enucien raised his K'aloot above his head. It was a weapon, cylinder in shape, made of solid wood, nearly the length of his arm. One side was larger than the other, and was shaped like a club. The other side was flattened with a very sharp edge.

"Now," Enucien said to them all, "back in the day when I was a child, the ceremony we are having today wasn't held with as much pagentry. But, over the years, we have made this event more into a celebration of Emarian life, and I am glad for it, and so will you, children, and your parents!"

Marilina held out her hands and watched as one of the Pachan wardens handed her a k'aloot. She waved it very proud, and her father ran his hand through her hair with pride as well.

"Your very first k'aloot, Marilina, your mother would be as proud of you as I am." He said as he held her close. "I am very confident you will enter the caves and bring out a slain Pachan pup on your first attempt."

Marilina looked up at her father and smiled.

"I will father, I will!" She replied.

Moments later a loud horn like sound came from the massive speakers that had been set around the stage. At that moment, the children who stood in front of their parents, streaked away at a full run. They made their way down the grassy hill and across the small stream, and towards the caves in the short distance. The hunt had begun.

* * *

The Pachan came to the caves, drawn by instinct, to bare their offspring. And even though the hunt happened every year, and had for hundreds of years, the Pachan still came to the caves. They had too; they could not beat the pull of their instinctive nature.

The female Pachan would birth two offspring. The Emarian wardens would make sure that an equal amount of male and female cubs were hunted, and that the mother was slaughtered as well. The pups that were not slaughtered would be given shots and allowed to return to the wild.

The darkness inside the myriad of cave was alleviated by torches that were mounted on the cave walls. Groups and groups of Emarian children entered the caves, and soon their cheers, and scurrying feet, would permeate through-out the caverns. It was a time of great fun and excitement; especially when an Emarian child killed their first Pachan. It was indeed a wondrous moment for a child.

Marilina, pushed on by raw peer pressure, and the shouts of encouragement by the wardens, ran through the caves like all the other kids did. And yet, as she ran with the other children, she didn't feel the excitement they obviously did. Then, suddenly, she watched as one of her friends, Mokara, a boy from the same neighborhood she lived at, found one of the Pachan families. Where Marilina was just five years old, Mokara was six years old. And, like all boys his age, he acted very tough and brave as he neared the Pachan family.

Two small pups were nursing from the mother, having been born only moments before. Marilina smiled down on the mother Pachan as it stretched out on the rocky yet smooth ground. And, as if frozen in horror, Marilina could only watch as the boy, Mokara, struck the Pachan mother on its sleeping head, smashing the skull, while squishing out teeth and bone matter as he did. The sound of the smashing skull was so loud that Marilina could feel it inside of her own body. The boy looked back at Marilina.

"Wasn't that great?" Mokara said. "My father showed me how to make a clean kill like that." Mokara said. He then reached down and found the female pup. The females were easy to find because their tails were not as long as the male's.

He dragged the female pup away from the tit of its dead mother, leaving the male pup to nurse on its own. Then Mokara placed his boot over the back of the pup's neck. Marilina closed her eyes, and heard a lighter and faint cracking noise. She opened her eyes to see Mokara pick up the lifeless body of the pup; his eyes a glow with glee.

"I have done it," Mokara said to Marilina with a broad smile on his face, "I have passed the first test of our people. Now come, Marilina, I will help you find another Pachan family so you can kill your pup."

But as Marilina looked at the lust in Mokara's, and suddenly her zeal to do the same began to ebb.

* * *

**Alpha Quadrant**

**EARTH…**

The large Romulan Fleet entered orbit of Earth. Nearly three-hundred vessels of various sizes had finally arrived at Earth, including nearly fifty of the very large, and powerful, Warbirds. Although the people of Earth had, for the most part, supported letting the Romulans settle on Earth after the destruction of their own world, there was still an uneasy feeling as the large fleet arrived. It was abundantly clear that the Romulan fleet was far superior to fleet of Earth. Several hundred transport vessels would also be arriving in the coming days, ferrying nearly three-hundred thousand Romulan men, women and children to Earth.

The Romulans could have relocated to an unpopulated planet. But for cultural reasons, and after discussions with Earth leaders, it was decided to try and integrate the two societies, for better or worse, once again. But as the Romulan fleet arrived, the gravity of that decision finally began to take hold.

Earth's own Space Fleet, which was still very small, would have been no match for the Romulan fleet, had the Romulans wanted to attack Earth. Federation Ambassador Sarek's assurances that the Federation would provide support for the endeavor went along way to ease the situation. Sarek had become, in recent months, the face of the "Federation", which Earth was now a member of. To that end, Andorian-Vulcan-the newly admitted Gorn-had committed ships to accompany the Romulan fleet to Earth; and now they had arrived. The last of the Romulan civilization had now agreed to join the Federation as well, a prerequisite for migrating to Earth.

Colonel Pike, Ambassador Spock, and Earth's own President, Harsh Jadhav, stood atop the new Federation complex which had been built just miles from the Eiffel Tower. The setting sun provided a beautiful red dusk welcome to the coming Romulans. Most of the media outlets on Earth had news teams covering the event as well. Helicopters, and other small aircraft, were kept at a safe distance.

Atop the building, the entire media throng was kept behind security ropes that had been situated around the roof of the Federation complex.

Everyone watched on a large screen, which had been situated on the roof of the complex, as the Romulan fleet entered Earth orbit. Soon everyone on the roof of the complex turned their eyes to the sky as the Romulan shuttle, which like all Romulan vessels paid homage to birds, came down from out of nearly clear sky, which was dotted with a few clouds, and landed upon the top of the Federation complex. Aboard the shuttle was the newly empowered leader of the Romulan people, who they referred to as their Praetor; which caused much trepidation with the Earth population. The history of the Roman Empire, of which the Romulans had a direct connection to, was well known to the Earth's population. Many of Earth's cultures had passed down stories, legends, of the Romans; many of those myths were not of a pleasant variety. It was as if one of Earth's greatest dynasties of the past had been brought back to life. What did that mean, and would the future hold? No one could know.

As the Earth delegation prepared to welcome the Romulans, what appeared to be an innocent puddle of water, near the far end of the roof-top, was more than just a mere collection of H20 particles. For what appeared to be just a puddle of water had arrived on Earth nearly a hundred-fifty years in the past, monitoring the evolution of mankind and its society. And even though the puddle of water could, at any moment, change shape; for now it just decided to monitor this historic moment in Earth's history.

The Romulan shuttle landed, and moments later the doors to the craft opened. All over Earth, in every city, in every nation, the population of Earth watched this historic moment in Earth history. In just two short years, Earth had gone from being a world ignorant in the size of the Galactic neighborhood, to now becoming the center of a major event in Galactic terms.

* * *

But there were some humans who didn't like this turn of events, and one such person was John Gill. He had been a thorn in the United Space Agency's side for decades, and was unable to thwart Earth's peaceful ascension into space. He, and he was not alone, held philosophical beliefs that mankind was destined, by God, or Gods, to rule the heavens. And that alien visitors were pawns of evil, and had to be stopped. Gill had even tried to infiltrate and destroy Earth's colonizing of space, but due to betrayal (Khan), it was not to have been.

After an asteroid fragment had hit his island lair (Gary Mitchell's did this, as I am sure you readers recall), it was thought that John Gill had been killed, along with most who believed as he did, and had moved to the now destroyed island. But unknown to even his most closet advisors, and friends, Gill had, with the help of a gifted scientist named Roger Corby, achieved what could only be described as a form of immortality. Corby had perfected the ability to create life-like androids, and the ability to exchange synaptic function between a human and the matrix mind of an Android. The android, the spitting image of Gill, was kept safe, and hidden, at Gill's secret retreat in Montana. And, moments before the asteroid hit his lair off the coast of Australia, Gill had his memory transferred to his life-like android. So now he was no longer a man; he was a machine. He was now a machine which contained the sum knowledge, and personality, of John Gill.

Gill and Corby watched on the monitor, deep beneath Gill's Montana retreat, the Romulan shuttle land atop the Federation complex. Gill was against the Romulan's coming to Earth, and settling on Archer Island. But, for now, he had to stay out of sight. At a time of his choice, he would implement his new plan for thwarting alien influence on Earth, and what he perceived, as a threat to God's law. And as Gill watched the door to the Romulan shuttle, and the Romulan Praetor step out of the shuttle, Gill looked back at the man-sized glass case that held the next piece of his plan; an android in the perfect image of the face of the Federation; Sarek.

"When do you want Sarek to come on line?" Corby asked, as he saw Gill staring at the motionless android in the case.

"In time," Gill said with a smile. "I have learned, after the fiasco with Khan, that I must measure my actions. Time; is on my side." Gill said after a pause.

* * *

**Paris**

The Romulan Praetor, an old, but very stern looking man named Dran'asies, flanked by his own military representative, a female, who was very stern looking as well, named Legionis Nor'vra, stepped out of the Romulan shuttle. Though countless centuries had passed since the Roman era, Colonel Pike, and the other humans, could detect the Romanesque looking military outfits Dran-asies and Nor'vra wore.

The network media, with their microphones on at full blast, recorded the images and sounds as the ruler of Earth, Harsha Jadhav, with Sarek beside him, as well as Colonel Pike, stood in stoic manners as the two Romulans approached.

"I welcome you to Earth," President Jadhav said as he reached out his hand, in a gesture that even a culture, long derived from ancient Rome, would recognized.

But Praetor Dran'asies, and Legionis Nor'vra, replied with a gesture that humans recalled quite well from another era; for it had been used by those who saluted Adolph Hitler.

At that moment, all around Earth, those who watched the exchange of greetings, and especially at seeing the salute offered by the Romulans, seemed to share a collective moment in a brief sensation of fear.


End file.
